Airports
FAA Mandates Radar for Airplane, Helicopter Separation
Agency issued a general notice to highlight the change
Bryan Bedford, FAA Administrator at Verticon 2026
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford

The FAA issued a general notice yesterday that eliminates the use of visual separation between airplanes and helicopters in Class B, Class C, and Terminal Radar Service Area airspace. According to the FAA, “Where helicopters cross airport arrival or departure paths, air traffic controllers will use radar to keep the aircraft specific lateral or vertical distances apart.”

Following the midair collision between a PSA Airlines CRJ700 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on Jan. 29, 2025, the FAA conducted a review of cross-traffic data and incident reports. The analysis showed that visual separation in high-traffic areas “was not enough of a safety mitigation tool,” the FAA explained.

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