Legislation on the floor of the U.S. House could determine whether planes are required to carry more locator technology.
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He was sentenced to 10 years probation on Feb. 24, 2026.Man convicted of manslaughter after east Bexar County donut stunt sentenced to 10 years probationFamily members of the people who were killed in the midair collision near Washington Reagan National Airport watch a video before a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing at Capitol Hill, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. Family members of the people who were killed in the midair collision near Washington Reagan National Airport listen the National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy as she testifies before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing at Capitol Hill, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. Family members of the people who were killed in the midair collision near Washington Reagan National Airport listen the National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy as she testifies before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing at Capitol Hill, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. Family members of the people who were killed in the midair collision near Washington Reagan National Airport watch a video before a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing at Capitol Hill, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. A House vote expected Tuesday will likely determine whether airline jets and every other plane flying around busy airports will be required to install locator technology that the head of the National Transportation Safety Board said would have prevented last year'swould require all aircraft be equipped with one system that can broadcast their locations and another one to receive data about the location of other aircraft. Only the system that broadcasts location is currently required.The families of the victims who died when an American Airlines jet collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter strongly support the measure, which would implement a change the NTSB has been recommending since 2008. The main pilots, flight attendants and aerospace workers unions have also endorsed the bill, known as the ROTOR act. But leaders of two key House committees quickly drafted an alternative bill over the last month to try to address The cost of the mandate has been a concern. It's not clear exactly how much it would cost partly because the systems haven't yet been designed for every aircraft, but NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy testified in Congress that American Airlines was able to equip more than 300 of its Airbus a321s for $50,000 apiece, and general aviation pilots have the option of using a portable receiver that costs about $400 and works with an iPad. One of the key researchers who helped develop these locator systems, Fabrice Kunzi, said a plane's dashboard shouldn't have to be overhauled to add a new display because the system is designed to give pilots an audible warning about nearby traffic with details of their locations if there is a risk of a collision.The main Families of Flight 5342 group said that while the House bill includes a number of good reforms that should be considered, they can't support it as written because it doesn't clearly require ADS-B In equipment. Everyone aboard the helicopter and the American Airlines jet flying from Wichita, Kansas, including the parents ofDoug Lane said that as he learned more about the crash that killed his wife and young figure skating son, he couldn't understand why airplanes aren't already equipped with this technology. “It was inconceivable to me that in the age of GPS-enabled smartphones in every pocket that there was no way for pilots flying aircraft with price tags in the tens of millions of dollars to see visually whether other aircraft in the airspace were on a collision course,” Lane said ahead of the vote on Tuesday.. The Airlines for American trade group and the major general aviation groups that represent business jets and small plane owners — including the National Business Aviation Association and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association — all threw their support behind the House bill. But American does support the Senate bill. On Monday, the Defense Department dropped its support for the ROTOR act that it endorsed in December because it would “create significant unresolved budgetary burdens and operational security risks affecting national defense activities.” The leaders of the House Transportation and Armed Services committees also urged their colleagues during debate to reject the bill because it isn't comprehensive and lacks any input from the House. The two top senators who crafted the bill seemed surprised by the military's sudden opposition on Monday because they had included language requested by the Pentagon to exempt confidential missions.The key difference between the bills is that the House version would not require both kinds of the proven Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast systems to be installed. Instead, the House bill would require the Federal Aviation Administration to investigate what technology might be best as part of a lengthy rulemaking process before requiring a solution. The House bill also covers many more aspects ofThe bipartisan group of Senate leaders behind the ROTOR act — led by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democrat Maria Cantwell — say their bill would be a good first step before drafting additional legislation. Under a special process being used to fast-track the bill, the ROTOR act will need to receive more than two-thirds support to pass the House on Tuesday. The bill from House members isn't ready for a floor vote. Rachel Feres, who is grieving the loss of her cousin and his wife and two young daughters in the crash, said it shouldn't be a debate between the two bills because both are needed, but ROTOR is ready to pass now to address crucial collision avoidance technology while lawmakers polish up the more comprehensive bill. “The same risk that took our families’ lives is still there today. And so it is so vital that we address that as soon as possible,” Feres said.that continually broadcasts an aircraft’s location and speed installed. ADS-B In systems that can receive those signals and create a display showing pilots where all air traffic is located around them are not standard on airliners, though many general aviation pilots already use a portable receiver to display that information on an iPad. The NTSB investigation showed that system would have provided significantly more warning to the pilots involved in the crash and would have allowed them to avoid the collision. A plane equipped with ADS-B In can give the pilot a detailed description of where other aircraft are whereas the current technology can only warn that traffic is in the area.“We have an obligation to fix what went wrong on January 29th. Not only must we do this for the 67 people who died, we must do this for all those who lost their lives in accidents we’ve investigated. We must do this for their families. We must do this for future generations... lives we can still save.” Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 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