(Reuters) – The acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration will tell a U.S. Senate subcommittee on Thursday the agency plans to hire 2,000 air traffic controller trainees this year and maintain strict oversight of Boeing.
Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau will also tell the Senate Commerce’s aviation subcommittee he plans to establish a safety risk management panel to “identify additional hazard areas involving helicopter and fixed-wing interactions” after a fatal January 29 collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines regional passenger jet that killed 67 people near Reagan Washington National Airport, according to written testimony seen by Reuters.
He said the FAA continues to maintain rigorous oversight of Boeing that “extends to ongoing monitoring of Boeing’s manufacturing practices, maintenance procedures, and software updates.”
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese)
