WASHINGTON. D.C. — The Aug. 8 collision between an airplane and a helicopter over the Hudson River, which resulted in nine deaths, has generated much public and media attention.
On the same weekend this accident happened, two autos collided on a freeway near Los Angeles, killing seven people. Local media covered this tragedy, but it received little or no national attention. Perhaps it was because more than 40,000 people lose their lives in auto accidents every year, so death by auto collisions is commonplace.
Aircraft accidents are unusual. As a former daily newspaper reporter, I know the unusual gets attention. It sells newspapers and generates viewers for television news. That is understandable.
The next question is, what happens now?
Every major accident — and this one over the Hudson is minor compared to others — has resulted in major changes by the government.
This one is no different, as FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt has set up a panel to look into the airspace issue. Among those included in the discussions, in addition to the FAA, are the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), and Air Transport Association (ATA).
Since 1945 there have been at least nine midair collisions involving certificated air carriers. Each has brought about some kind of change.
Following the collision of two airliners over the Grand Canyon, government took aviation out of the Department of Commerce and established the Federal Aviation Administration. The most tragic aviation accident in New York was when a United DC-8 and a TransWorld Constellation collided over Brooklyn, killing 132 people. President Kennedy ordered a review of air traffic control and this helped develop radar for civilian use. In 1967 a Piedmont 727 and a Cessna 310 collided near Henderson, N.C. A TransWorld flight and a Beech Baron had a midair near Urbana, Ohio. An Allegheny DC-9 collided with a Navy F-4 near Duarte, Calif., in 1969. In 1978, a Pacific Southwest jet approaching to land in San Diego hit a Cessna 172 taking off.
That accident resulted in major struggles for general aviation. The FAA wanted to place restricted airspace around every airport in the nation served by an airline. This was eventually scaled back after a major effort, spearheaded by AOPA (the organization earned an award from the Public Relations Society of America for the PR program.) Eventually the FAA came up with the various classes of airspace.
The FAA now is redesigning the airspace in the New York area. This is primarily to cut down on airline delays, the result of the hub system and scheduling flights together at prime times. Actual flight activity in this airspace has not changed that much over the years.
In 1976, the four major airports in the New York area — LaGuardia, J.F. Kennedy, Newark, and Teterboro — had 1,091,405 movements. Last year, it was 1,293,796, an increase of 202,391.
There are other airports in the area used primarily by general aviation but, over more than three decades, flight activity has grown just 18%, a minor increase for the rules and regulations changes.
The speed limit today below 10,000 feet is about what the speeds were of prop and turbo-prop planes 40 to 50 years ago. Before the airspace restrictions, I flew a Piper J-3 Cub over Manhattan many times. That was about the time airliners under positive ATC control collided.
Today, radar is better. More general aviation aircraft have radios and transponders. Still there are major attempts to change the operations of all aircraft.
As long as there are people, there will be people making mistakes. The only sure way to avoid midair collisions is to allow only one airplane in the sky at a time.
Charles Spence is GAN’s Washington, D.C., correspondent.
I agree with Humphries. I have also flown up and down the river a few times over the past 35 years staying to the right going north and south at 1100 feet. I don’t recall ever seeing any choppers up that high, they always seemed to stay low, around 500 or 600 feet. I would recommend the ceiling be raised to 2000 feet and keep the fixed wing above 1500 and the choppers below 1000 feet. There are always blind spots when you look out of any vehicle.
this is an all too simple solution – tcas – a proximity detector aboard the aircraft.
i have been flying with big eyes in heavily trafficed situations for over 40 years.
a tcas unit by zeon is now priced at 1200 dollars, and available to any aircraft with a cigar plug to power it. and… should be at the very least required by commercial operators, especially the ones touring. it also can combine to show on glass many panels like the also portable garmin 696. skywatch is 10 thousand dollars, and more sturdy, but i would require it on all touring 135 helicopters. after all they have already invested over a milion dollars in their aircraft, on everythig… but traffic avoidance! both of these units and others manufactured…. warn of any aircraft within at least a 5 mile radius, and at what altitude —including ascents and decents. is there a better answer? telll me……
Charlie Humphries! How ya doing! Yeah I guess you have a few hours, a few thousand, lol! but good idea. They ahould raise the 1100 foot to 1800 and give everyone some more wiggle room.
I have a few Helicopter and Fixed Wing hours flying over New York City.
I’ve been doing it since 1958 and have seen quite a bit of activity in the area.
I think that we could keep flying to the West side going south.
And flying to the East side of the river going North
However I would recommend the following altitudes
Helicopters Maximum Altitude….900’
Fixed Wing Minimum Altitude….1100’
Thanx
Charles J Humphries
For God’s sake! It was just an unfortunate accident. Do they close the street after an auto accident?
With all due respect and consideration – there are always people standing on the sidelines (and those in armchairs) trying to legislate against stupidity, inattention, and complacency. That attempt has never succeeded in removing the risks attendant with “rapid transit.”
My sympathies and condolences go out to all those affected by the accidents past-and those to come. As an engineer, I take it as my solemn obligation to reduce and mitigate any and all risks I can identify. If we all do our part, we can take some comfort in that – and that alone. (Every time I fasten my safety belt, in any conveyance, I pray everyone does their job as earnestly as possible.)
How about having ‘highly recommended’ flight paths to follow over high density sighteeing areas? Or even mandatory?
For example, many sightseeing flight over Golden Gate circle overhead – arbitrarily. Why not give assigne altitudes and flight paths (circling and otherwise) say within a 5 mile radius of the bridge (in this case) – ie at 2,000, circle clockwise. At 2,500 circle counterclockwise.
Maybe have/require a way to checkin with ATC so they know who is there and they can communicate with other traffic (although this is not there job )
Anyway, just some thoughts
I am a fixed wing pilot. I have flown the Hudson corridor many times. I agree with the observations, and conclusion of this article.
To me, the traffic levels on the Hudson are about the same as at any busy non-topwered airport. You have to be cautions and observant at all times.
I would like to present written comments and recommendations to the FAA panel that is mentioned in this article. Do you know how one does this? I have seen several announcements that a panel is being formed, but no information on how to contact the panel. An address, or even a reference to pursue this further would be appreciated.
John O’Meara
Aviation fatalities 1994-2008: 5,587 (2:All fatalities in all classes of airplane in the USA)
Motor vehicle fatalities 1994-2008: 562,712
Civil War: 618,000
WWI: 117,465
WWII: 295,000
Korea: 54,246
Vietnam: 58,228
No aircraft fatality is too insignificant to be overlooked or under rated. However, deaths on America’s highways, most of which are alcohol related, should receive as much or more attention than is given to the few annual aviation fatalities.
Be careful in making these comments:
As long as there are people, there will be people making mistakes. The only sure way to avoid midair collisions is to allow only one airplane in the sky at a time.
Because after ensuring no collision they will look into other causes and sum up as:
Keeping planes on the ground prevents accidents.
One airplane in the sky at a time is ridiculous. All you need is to have the air charters use a one-way circular pattern. As Manhattan is almost an island the pattern would be up over one river and down the other, crossing from one to the other north and south of the city. But always in the same circular pattern.
The area is easily larger enough over Manhattan, including the Hudson and East rivers along with the harbor to run a sustained circular pattern. Even non-charter flights could mesh in with such a pattern once cleared by flight controllers.