A midair collision between a commercial airplane and an Army helicopter near Washington D.C. has sent shockwaves through the aviation community, prompting urgent discussions about safety and regulation changes. As the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigates the cause of the crash, experts are already predicting significant shifts in the way the industry operates.
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Terence Fontaine, the Aviation Program Director at Texas Southern University who served in the Marine Corps aviation operations then became a pilot, has been closely following the investigation. Fontaine, who has flown similar aircraft and worked in Washington D.C., believes this tragedy could be a turning point for air travel safety.
“I know that corridor very well—it’s incredibly busy, with a lot of restrictions,” Fontaine explained. “It is very congested, and I hope something good can come out of this to make the airways even safer.”
The impact of the crash has resonated deeply within the aviation community. At TSU’s Aviation Program, recognized as one of the top 50 in the nation, there is a renewed focus on safety training and procedures.
“When something like this happens, it really makes you want to fight harder for anything that can make us safer,” Fontaine said. “I firmly believe this is an incredibly safe industry, but we know that accidents like this can push the FAA to take another look at regulations, and that’s a good thing for all of us.”
Flight Simulator Training at TSU
At TSU, students are taught safety first, with rigorous training in FAA-certified flight simulators. Taylor Clark, a certified flight instructor at TSU, emphasized how important it is to instill a deep understanding of safety in every pilot while mourning the loss of life.
“I see my fellow aviators as family,” she said. “I would never want to see something like this happen. It’s hard to know what exactly went wrong, but it’s going to take a massive investigation to figure that out.”
A Call for Industry Change
Fontaine believes the crash will lead to changes not only in air traffic procedures but also in how pilots and students are trained.
“This industry is incredibly safe, but safety protocols are constantly evolving,” he said. “I expect the FAA will make adjustments to regulations, especially in high-traffic areas like D.C., to prevent this from happening again.”
As the investigation continues, many in the aviation field are looking to make flying safer for both passengers and crew. At TSU, that means incorporating even more safety measures into their already comprehensive training programs.
“We spent a lot of time here at TSU teaching safety,” Fontaine said. “This is a dangerous business. We fly airplanes, and that means we must constantly adapt to ensure the highest level of safety in the skies.”
