ALERT Act

The Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency Act of 2026, or ALERT Act, seeks to significantly improve aviation safety across civil and military operations. Title I focuses on civil aviation matters , beginning with requirements for advanced collision avoidance systems. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must evaluate and potentially decrease inhibit altitudes for Airborne Collision Avoidance System Xa (ACAS-Xa) and establish rulemaking committees to mandate ACAS-Xa for selected fixed-wing aircraft and ACAS-Xr for selected rotorcraft, including setting deadlines for equipping and retrofitting. The bill also mandates a negotiated rulemaking proceeding to require collision mitigation technology , specifically ADS-B In, for covered aircraft, with an effective date no later than December 31, 2031. This technology must provide audible alerts and integrate at least two independently verified data sources for traffic resolution advisories. The FAA is directed to review and revise air traffic control practices, including time-on-position for supervisory personnel and facility levels, with a particular focus on Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Key provisions address air traffic controller training and tools, requiring a working group to recommend revisions for initial and recurrent training on threat and error management and visual separation. A safety risk assessment tool for controllers is to be developed, and a task force will identify improvements to the conflict alert system. Additionally, the bill mandates revisions to post-accident and post-incident drug and alcohol testing procedures for controllers and requires documentation of control position combinations. For helicopter operations, the Act requires annual reviews and public reporting of Helicopter Route Charts, with necessary modifications to ensure safe deconfliction with fixed-wing aircraft, especially around DCA. It also mandates vertical separation near airports during critical flight phases and a study on incorporating helicopter routes into instrument and visual approach/departure procedures for improved situational awareness for both fixed-wing and rotorcraft pilots. To enhance safety reporting and culture, the bill establishes a working group to define "close proximity encounters" and recommend public data availability. It also requires a process for notifying parties of airborne loss of separation events and sharing de-identified data. Critically, the Department of Transportation Inspector General is tasked with auditing the Air Traffic Organization's safety culture and safety management system, particularly in light of past incidents at DCA, and providing recommendations to strengthen safety practices and transparency. Title II addresses Department of Defense (DoD) matters relating to aviation safety. It mandates a new memorandum of agreement between the Secretaries of Transportation and Defense by September 30, 2026, to accommodate special mission aircraft and establish policies for collision mitigation technologies on DoD aircraft, while protecting sensitive data. DoD manned rotary wing aircraft will be required to transmit ADS-B Out in the National Capital Region for training missions, with exceptions for sensitive operations. The DoD must also implement collision mitigation technology in non-special mission aircraft and establish robust manned rotary wing aviation safety management systems by March 1, 2027. This includes initial and recurring training for flight crews on highly congested airspace and the development of standards for flight data monitoring to improve operational patterns and pre-flight planning. The bill repeals previous related legislation and a memorandum of agreement, ensuring the new framework governs DoD aviation safety interactions with the national airspace system.