A deadly mid-air collision of a single-engine airplane and tourist helicopter over the Hudson River last month has prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to change rules governing Manhattan airspace.
The FAA says it will set limits for how fast aircraft may fly in the crowded air corridor over the river, as well as requiring every pilot in the area be tuned to the same radio frequency, the New York Times reports. Previously, those rules had been voluntary. The agency also says it will develop new training programs for pilots, air-traffic controllers and tourist helicopter operators.
“These steps will significantly enhance safety in this busy area and create crystal-clear rules for all of the pilots who operate there,” the FAA's administrator, J. Randolph Babbitt, said in a statement.
The steps were recommended by a panel appointed by the agency following the Aug. 8 crash that killed nine people.
