ALPA Statement on ALERT Act

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Capt. Jason Ambrosi, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA), issued the following statement today after the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee announced it will consider revised aviation safety legislation in response to the tragic accident involving PSA Airlines Flight 5342.

"While we appreciate the Committee's work on the ALERT Act, this legislation falls short by failing to require a comprehensive traffic awareness, traffic alerting and collision avoidance system that expands pilots situational awareness and provides earlier traffic alerting, which is enabled by a full ADS-B In suite that is integrated to provide expanded aural and visual alerts in the air and on the surface. This capability utilizes ADS-B In beyond the TCAS II and ACAS Xa use of ADS-B In. This is the solution needed to help prevent the scenario that occurred in the PSA 5342 accident from ever happening again.  

"ADS-B In is specifically designed to improve pilots' situational awareness and provide early alerts, to assist in preventing mid-air collisions. If PSA Flight 5342 had been equipped, pilots would have had significantly more time than afforded by TCAS II or by ACAS-Xa alone, to visually acquire the approaching helicopter and take evasive action. That difference could have saved 67 lives.

"All commercial aircraft should be equipped with the envisioned integrated, installed, and operational ADS-B In with a flight deck display of traffic information to alert pilots with directional symbols and aural alerts of clock position, relative altitude, range and vertical tendency. The ALERT Act does not properly require this life-saving technology in airline aircraft.

While we do not oppose the ALERT Act and appreciate its safety improvements, there's still more that can and should be done. Until comprehensive traffic awareness, traffic alerting and collision avoidance systems that are enabled by a full ADS-B In suite are included, we cannot support the legislation. ALPA will not settle for 75 percent of a safety solution. We will continue to work toward safety improvements to ensure any final legislation reflects these safety goals and provides a safety package of improvements that pilots need. Nothing less is acceptable.

“We look forward to working with the House and Senate to ensure pilots are given optimal situational awareness that can prevent future tragedies.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 80,000 pilots at 42 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit ALPA.org or follow us on X @ALPAPilots.

CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org