SAN ANTONIO – A close call between a San Antonio police helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet near San Antonio International Airport is drawing new attention as federal regulators tighten rules on how aircraft are kept apart.
The incident happened Feb. 27, when the Federal Aviation Administration said an American Airlines plane was cleared to land at the airport when a San Antonio police helicopter flew through the jet’s final approach path. Regulators said the helicopter and the plane were on the same course, and the helicopter pilot made a turn to get out of the flight’s way. No one was hurt.
The incident comes as the FAA is now banning visual separation between airplanes and helicopters. Under the change, air traffic controllers must use radar to actively manage aircraft and keep them separated at specific distances.
The policy shift stems from last year’s midair collision near Washington, D.C., when an Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into an American Airlines regional jet.