Washington
FAA mandates radar separation for helicopters and planes after deadly DC midair collision
Air traffic controllers will use radar, not just visual checks, to ensure that helicopters maintain a safe distance from arriving and departing airplanes in the wake of last year’s fatal midair collision near Washington, D.C., federal officials announced Wednesday.
The Federal Aviation Administration said recent near-misses show that previous guidelines for pilots to maintain visual separation between helicopters and airplanes have failed to provide adequate protection around busy airports.
Under the new guidelines, air traffic controllers must use radar to keep helicopters and airplanes apart by specific lateral or vertical distances. The new requirement applies to more than 150 of the nation’s busiest airports, extending a restriction already put in place at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
“Today, we are proactively mitigating risks before they affect the traveling public,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a news release. “Following the mid-air collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), we looked at similar operations across the national airspace. We identified an overreliance on pilot ‘see and avoid’ operations that contribute to safety events involving helicopters and airplanes.”
Officials also specifically mentioned a Feb. 27 near-miss in which a police helicopter had to turn to avoid an American Airlines flight that was landing at San Antonio International Airport in Texas. A similar close call happened on March 2, when a helicopter had to turn away from a small aircraft that had been cleared to arrive at California’s Hollywood Burbank Airport, officials said.
The January 2025 collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter killed 67 people, making it the deadliest plane crash on U.S. soil since 2001. Among other factors contributing to the crash, investigators said controllers in the Reagan tower overly relied on asking pilots to spot aircraft and maintain visual separation.
The night of the crash, the controller approved the Black Hawk’s request to do that twice. However, investigators say the helicopter pilots likely never spotted the American Airlines plane as the jet circled to land on the little-used secondary runway.
Many of the people who died were young figure skaters and their parents and coaches who had just attended a development camp in Wichita, Kansas, after the U.S. Figure Skating Championships were held there.
Detroit Pistons (49-19, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Washington Wizards (16-52, 14th in the Eastern Conference)
Washington; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Washington takes on Detroit looking to end its six-game home losing streak.
The Wizards are 11-32 against Eastern Conference opponents. Washington allows 123.8 points to opponents and has been outscored by 11.0 points per game.
The Pistons are 33-11 in conference games. Detroit ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference with 27.0 assists per game led by Cade Cunningham averaging 9.9.
The Wizards’ 13.0 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.3 more made shots on average than the 12.7 per game the Pistons give up. The Pistons average 11.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.7 fewer made shots on average than the 13.7 per game the Wizards give up.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. In the last matchup on March 17 the Pistons won 130-117 led by 36 points from Jalen Duren, while Bub Carrington scored 30 points for the Wizards.
TOP PERFORMERS: Carrington is averaging 10 points and 4.5 assists for the Wizards. Tre Johnson is averaging 1.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Duren is averaging 19 points and 10.6 rebounds for the Pistons. Cunningham is averaging 17.6 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 46.8% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Wizards: 0-10, averaging 117.6 points, 38.1 rebounds, 23.8 assists, 6.8 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 48.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 129.5 points per game.
Pistons: 5-5, averaging 116.9 points, 44.1 rebounds, 28.3 assists, 9.4 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.9 points.
INJURIES: Wizards: Anthony Davis: out (finger), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Alex Sarr: day to day (hamstring), Leaky Black: day to day (ankle), Kyshawn George: out (elbow), D’Angelo Russell: day to day (not injury related), Trae Young: day to day (quad), Bilal Coulibaly: day to day (heel).
Pistons: Cade Cunningham: day to day (back), Isaiah Stewart: out (calf).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The Washington Huskies’ Pro Day was abuzz with optimism for both the past and future of the program.
As 17 players took the field to perform various drills and athletic testing, there were several impressive numbers for the NFL scouts in attendance to write home about. Wide receiver Omari Evans was one of the clear winners of the day, as quarterback Demond Williams Jr. posted on social media that the Penn State transfer ran an unofficial 4.25-second 40-yard dash, which would be just .04 seconds from the NFL combine record of 4.21, set by former Texas receiver Xavier Worthy (for what it’s worth, hand timing can be a little tricky; I had his two attempts timed at 4.35 and 4.30, respectively) and also displayed a 41-inch vertical jump.
Defensive tackle Anterio Thompson also showed off his impressive athleticism with a 4.73 40-yard dash, as he and several other former Huskies, including Evans, outside linebackers Zach Durfee and Deshawn Lynch, and tight end Quentin Moore, all made their cases to work into the late rounds of the NFL draft, or to be candidates to sign with a team as undrafted free agents.
And on their way out, they were very complimentary of what the next generation will bring to Montlake. While offensive lineman Carver Willis, who showed off his versatility by taking reps at center, guard, and tackle during his on-field workout, raved about guard Champ Taulealea and outside linebacker Devin Hyde—just like he did at the combine in February—other players brought new names to the table.
One person who was extremely popular among the departing Huskies was junior defensive tackle Elinneus Davis, who is projected to earn a starting role this fall.
“That’s gonna be our guy,” Lynch said. “You want a big play? You want somebody you can lean on? I think it’s Elinneus Davis. Big 90.”
Here are some other noteworthy things I jotted down.
Pro Day notebook
- None of the five Huskies who went to the NFL combine participated in the 40-yard dash, meaning that wide receiver Denzel Boston and running back Jonah Coleman won’t have any number in that department ahead of April’s draft. However, that may not affect their stock too much, as NFL teams already know what they’re getting in both players from their extensive tape.
- Speaking of NFL teams, 29 were in attendance according to a count from Huskies Wire’s Alex Katson. The Atlanta Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs, and Los Angeles Rams were the only teams that were not spotted.
- Edge rusher Zach Durfee also put together an impressive workout, highlighted by a 39-inch vertical jump and a 4.69 unofficial 40-yard dash, confirming the long-standing stories from both Jedd Fisch and Kalen DeBoer’s coaching staff that he was one of the best athletes on the team, even though his career was unfortunately cut short due to injuries and the NCAA.
- As for the NCAA, both Durfee and Thompson stated that they considered applying for NCAA waivers to return to school for the 2026 season. However, Thompson cited that seeing other players in similar cases around the country losing their appeals deterred him from the process.
- After a strong performance at the combine, Prysock is starting to get buzz as a potential Day Two selection in April’s draft, as at least one team has given him a third-round grade.
- As it pertains to the future, two of Washington’s freshman defensive linemen are primed for an immediate impact, as Derek Colman-Brusa is apparently weighing in at north of 295 pounds, while TI Umu-Cais is over 315 pounds.
The Kennedy Center’s board of directors voted on Monday to shut down operations for two years following this summer’s July 4 celebrations.
The widely expected decision comes in the wake of numerous resignations and cancellations during President Donald Trump’s second term, although Trump himself has cited the need for repairs as a reason for the closure.
“We’re going to ensure it remains the finest performing arts facility of its kind anywhere in the world,” Trump told reporters at the White House before the board met Monday.
The board also voted to install Matt Floca as CEO and executive director, replacing Trump ally Richard Grenell, who oversaw far-reaching changes at the venue that prompted an outcry from many artists and exacerbated the operation’s financial challenges. Trump praised Grenell on Monday, saying he had been a longtime friend, and wished Floca “good luck with everything.”
Over the weekend, a federal judge ruled that a Democratic lawmaker was entitled to participate in the meeting. But the judge did not require that the board permit a vote for Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty, an ex officio member through her position in Congress. Beatty was in attendance during Monday’s gathering.
Trump hosted the board meeting at the White House in a reminder of the influence he has held over the Kennedy Center during his second term. Shortly after returning to office last year, Trump ousted the center’s previous leadership and replaced it with a hand-picked board of trustees that named him chairman. He also brought in Grenell, who served in a variety of capacities during Trump’s first term, when the president mostly ignored the Kennedy Center.
The center’s lineup has since included more Trump-friendly programming, including serving as the venue for the premiere of first lady Melania Trump’s documentary, “Melania.” The board also announced it had renamed the facility the Trump Kennedy Center, a change scholars and lawmakers say must be initiated by Congress, and physically added the president’s name to the building’s facade.
The fallout from the arts community was swift and intense. Actor Issa Rae, musician Bela Fleck and author Louise Penny were among the numerous artists who withdrew from appearances, while consultants such as musician Ben Folds and singer Renée Fleming resigned. Earlier this month, the executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra, Jean Davidson, left to head the Los Angeles-based Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
Without mentioning the abandoned performances, Trump said in February he would close the Kennedy Center to fix what he has described as a dilapidated building.
Ahead of the closure, Grenell warned staff about impending cuts that will leave “skeletal teams.”
More musicians canceled performances at the Kennedy Center after its board voted to add President Trump’s name to the venue. News4’s Dominique Moody shares what they said about their decisions.
Floca, Grenell’s successor, had been serving as vice president of operations. According to his LinkedIn page, he joined the Kennedy Center in January 2024, during the Biden administration.
A center press release from the time describes him as “an experienced facilities management professional with a construction management background and an appreciation for whole building design principles.”
Previous experience for Floca listed on LinkedIn includes a handful of positions with the District of Columbia government, among them associate director of sustainability and energy and director of facilities management. He graduated from Louisiana State University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in construction management.
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