The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has decided to limit the use of radar to track helicopters flying around busy airports due to ongoing issues with visual separation with other aircraft. This decision comes after a series of incidents, including a collision between a US Army Blackhawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in 2025. The National Transportation Safety Board found that there were over 15,000 close calls at the airport between October 2021 and December 2024. The FAA used AI tools to assess airports where helicopters and airplanes often fly together to identify problems and implement solutions. The agency also noted that urgent medical or law enforcement missions may still be allowed to proceed, but with planes being stopped from landing or taking off to give them priority clearance.