ALPA Convenes Industry Leaders at Annual Air Safety Forum, Renews Urgent Call for ADS-B In

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA) today convened its annual Air Safety Forum, bringing together experts from across the aviation industry to confront the most pressing safety and security challenges facing commercial aviation, and to renew its call for Congress to require ADS-B In technology integrated into flightdeck displays. This year's discussions centered on a theme ALPA leaders described as both a tribute and a mandate, honoring the lessons of past accidents while pressing urgently for the technology needed to prevent the next one.

“This forum unites both our mission to learn lessons from past tragedy and our dedication to mitigating future risks,” said Capt. Jason Ambrosi, ALPA president. “Every step of the way, ALPA pilots were the voice for safety and security, but our work isn't done yet.”

ALPA used the forum to renew its call on a crucial safety fix available to Congress right now: a requirement for integrated ADS-B In technology, with audio and visual alerting, in every flightdeck.

To further elevate the urgency of the ADS-B In mandate, ALPA joined the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Families of PSA Airlines Flight 5342 for a press conference dedicated to the technology and the lives it stands to protect.

“Integrated ADS-B In could have made the difference for the 67 lives lost over the Potomac in January 2025, which is why it is the foundation of our advocacy coming out of this tragedy. We owe it to the 67 people we lost, and to the millions who trust us with their lives every day, to finish this job,” said Ambrosi at the press conference.

Currently, lawmakers are working to reconcile two pieces of legislation following the 50 recommendations issued by the NTSB after the January 29, 2025, midair collision between PSA Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army helicopter on approach to Washington National Airport.

“You can't avoid another aircraft if you can't see it. Integrated ADS-B In would ensure pilots are aware of potential risks well before they can become a tragedy. The technology is a primary recommendation of the NTSB's report on the Potomac midair collision and a key component of the Senate-passed ROTOR Act,” added Ambrosi.

Amid the forum's focus on the work still ahead, ALPA also paused to honor the skill and composure that keep passengers safe every day, the same situational awareness the union is fighting to strengthen with technology like ADS-B In. This year, ALPA presented its Superior Aviating Award to the crew of Frontier Airlines Flight 1473 for their handling of a serious in-flight emergency. Shortly after takeoff in Philadelphia, the crew encountered erroneous data that triggered multiple warnings and repeated stall alerts during a critical phase of flight, even though the aircraft was never actually approaching a stall. With two of the aircraft's automated systems unavailable, the captain flew by hand, using speed, power and a clear view outside the aircraft to stay on a safe path, all while the faulty alerts kept suggesting something was wrong that wasn't. Communicating clearly with each other and with air traffic control, the crew stayed calm under pressure, safely turned the plane around and landed it back in Philadelphia. Mechanics later confirmed the warnings were caused by a faulty sensor, not an actual problem with the aircraft.

“Their performance is exactly why we invest so heavily in manual flying proficiency and crew resource management,” said Ambrosi. “It's a powerful reminder that even as we push for smarter technology in the flightdeck, the judgment and skill of the pilots at the controls remain the last and most important line of defense. Tools like ADS-B In don't replace that judgment, they sharpen it, giving pilots a clearer and expanded picture of the traffic around them so they can act on what they see with the same confidence this crew showed when the instruments themselves couldn't be trusted.”

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 @ALPAPilots on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X.

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