US airlines weigh midair collision prevention system ahead of legal mandate

U.S. airlines are considering installing midair collision prevention technology ahead of a potential legal requirement, according to Acron Technologies CEO Alan Crawford. The company has retrofitted American Airlines' single-aisle Airbus planes with the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast In (ADS-B In) platform and is in talks with most U.S. carriers for similar retrofits by the end of the year.

U.S. lawmakers are examining two legislative options that could lead to an ADS-B In mandate to prevent midair collisions, following the January 2025 crash that killed 67 people. While ADS-B Out is mandatory for commercial jetliners to transmit their positions, ADS-B In is an optional technology that enables real-time traffic broadcasts from other aircraft.

Safety agencies have investigated numerous near-miss incidents, and the Air Line Pilots Association supports mandating ADS-B In to enhance pilots' situational awareness and prevent collisions. The cost of equipping planes with ADS-B In is in the tens of thousands of dollars. United Airlines has promised that its new widebody aircraft deliveries will come with ADS-B In, and Delta Air Lines has directed a request for comment to the trade group, Airlines for America.