The deadly midair collision over the Hudson River earlier this month raises serious questions regarding the responsibilities of pilots and air traffic controllers and the rules for aircraft traversing the busy airspace around Manhattan.
The collision took place in the Hudson River Visual Flight Rules (VFR) corridor, a narrow airway over the river limited by a ceiling of 1,100 feet. Pilots flying small planes and sightseeing helicopters use the corridor to operate underneath the huge domes of restricted airspace set aside for aircraft using the region’s three major airports. Pilots flying through the corridor need not check in with air traffic control and ordinarily do not receive traffic advisories or other assistance from government controllers. Rather, pilots are responsible to announce their position and altitude on a common radio frequency and use diligence to “see and avoid” other aircraft. Southbound planes head down the New Jersey side of the river, while northbound planes skirt the Manhattan shore.
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