The Air Line Pilots Association is again calling on Congress to require ADS-B In technology on airline flight decks, saying the system could give pilots earlier warning of nearby traffic and help prevent midair collisions.
The union renewed its push Tuesday during its 70th annual Air Safety Forum in Washington, D.C., where pilots, regulators and other aviation industry representatives gathered to discuss current safety issues. The public portion of the four-day forum included National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy, Boeing Chief Aerospace Safety Officer Don Ruhmann and ALPA President Jason Ambrosi.
ALPA’s campaign comes as Congress works to reconcile aviation safety legislation following the Jan. 29, 2025, collision between PSA Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The crash killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft.
ALPA says integrated ADS-B In, including audio and visual alerts displayed to pilots, should be required on transport-category aircraft. The union points to the technology as a way to provide flight crews with additional information about nearby traffic before a conflict becomes an immediate threat.
The NTSB has also recommended requiring ADS-B In as part of its investigation into the Washington collision. The safety board said the technology could have provided the CRJ pilot with an alert 59 seconds before the collision and the helicopter crew with an alert 48 seconds beforehand.
“Integrated ADS-B In could have made the difference for the 67 lives lost over the Potomac in January 2025,” Ambrosi said during the forum’s press conference.
ALPA said the technology would supplement, rather than replace, existing collision-avoidance systems and pilot judgment. The union has previously argued that ADS-B In could give pilots a broader picture of surrounding traffic and more time to recognize developing conflicts.
The push comes as lawmakers work on aviation safety legislation addressing recommendations stemming from the Potomac crash. ALPA specifically wants Congress to retain the ADS-B In provision from the Senate-passed ROTOR Act as lawmakers reconcile competing House and Senate measures.
ALPA said the event’s broader focus is on lessons from previous accidents and the technology, procedures and training needed to address future risks.
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