The aviation world is struggling to realize that a deadly middle air collision between a passenger aircraft and a military helicopter could happen in what one expert described as “the hottest part of the air space in the world.”
The American Army helicopter Black Hawk, with three crews, collided with a jet of American Airlines, who carried 64 people seconds before the passenger aircraft was supposed to land at the Washington National Airport.
Both aircraft were sent to the Ice River Potomac on Wednesday night.
The airspace over the American capital sees hundreds of civilian and military flights daily, including helicopters who are tasked with carrying high officials and politicians between sensitive locations.
However, an aviation expert based in the UK, John Strickland, said the amount of commercial air traffic in the area could not fully explain why a deadly collision could have happened.
Like Washington National near the city center, he notes, there is an international gateway, Washington Dulles, and also Baltimore Airport a little further.
“It must be managing traffic flows to separate. It’s like we have in London where you have to manage traffic flows between Heathrow, Ststed, Gatwick and London.
“So DC is no different to London or New York in this regard … it’s not completely unusual.”
However, there is a lot of limited airspace above Columbia County, the House of White House and the American Capitol, just across the Potomac River from the National Airport.
Experts agreed that the intersection of civilian air traffic, regular military flights, consists of DC -A airspace more complex.
Air Force Advisor Philip Butterworth-Hayes said the incident occurred “to the” connection of different aircraft “, including civilian and military systems, as well as airport specific procedures.
“You are here at the border of three or four aircraft systems – and that is at the boundaries where most accidents happen,” he added.
Mr Butterworth -hayes continued: “This is the most famous part of the airspace in the world. You have both US government and civilian systems – Ronald Reagan Airport is even owned by the Government, which is one of very few.
“This is truly safest – and should be the safest airspace in the world, given the number of security and civilian security organizations that work in the area.”
The last fatal collision involving a commercial plane to the United States was in February 2009. Officers and experts pointed out that this type of incident is incredibly rare due to solid safety limitations on all kinds of flights.
Experts agreed that both aircraft would be in direct contact with the control of civilian air traffic.
The footage obtained from the source of air traffic control by CBS News, US news on BBC, showed that two aircraft seemed to have participated in the collision clearly visible on radar systems available controllers.
It seems that the sound that BBC News has received as if confirming that the helicopter has been in contact with air traffic control at the airport.
The helicopter asked if there was a passenger plane “in sight” and “pass behind”. In the sound that follows, controllers seem to realize that there has been a collision and can be heard of directing other aircraft in the air to neighboring airports.
Mr Butterworth-Hayes said such a collision in the air demands that many things go wrong.
He said that a military helicopter should be equipped with a transponder transponder transponder transponder in civil airspace.
This means that both aircraft were supposed to be seen, he says, plus would be instructions from air traffic control and safety device to protect aircraft acting separately from each other.
“On this occasion, you have these two different systems and both should be able to be separated by these aircraft.”
Black Hawk helicopter was part of B Company, 12th Airline Battalion. He left Fort Belvoir, a military base in Virginia, and participated in training.
US Defense Minister Pete Hegsetth said the crew of the “pretty experience” helicopter and participated in an annual night flight training.
Talking to CNN, Cedric Leighton – Retired Air Force Colonel of the US Air Force – said it is normal for that type of military aircraft to be trained in the area at night, especially to ensure that the pilots are experienced using the instruments needed to flight in the dark .
He said that one of the duties of a unit was transported high staff around the capital – however, it is now known that only the crew was on board at the time of the collision.
Pilots of units are expected to be experienced in flying in the bustling Air Force DC “train to avoid such incidents,” he added.
Mr Butterworth-Hayes said only experienced pilots would be able to train in such a hectic part of the airspace.
“Whether it’s training for new systems or equipment, we need to know what systems pilot has been involved in the helicopter and whether they have all safety systems on board or have been trying a new procedure or a new path.”
In an interview with the Newsday BBC World Service program, Air Force expert based in Australia, Neil Hansford, said the collision raised specific questions to the US airline and is likely to lead to overhaul proceedings.
He said this would not happen in Europe or Australia because there are firmer rules that regulate flight paths.
Another tragedy factor, says Mr. Strickland, is a smaller speed at which the jet flew because he came ashore.
“If a bigger shock happens, there is really no time – even if the crew survives – do anything.
“The aircraft got a certain degree of vulnerability because of its speed. You can imagine that a similar outcome would probably even be a much larger aircraft.”
