FAA says Trump arch with signal flame got no special treatment in review
WASHINGTON: The head of the US Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday there was no political interference in the agency’s air safety review of President Donald Trump’s proposed triumphal arch that will include an eternal flame for visibility.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) head stated on Wednesday that there was no political involvement in the assessment of President Donald Trump's proposed triumphal arch with an eternal flame. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford affirmed that the agency treated the project in the same manner as it evaluates all other projects, without granting any special consideration.
The proposed 250-foot arch would be situated 3,000 feet away from Reagan Washington National Airport and within the airport's primary approach and departure paths. The FAA's recent decision mandates the arch to be illuminated with a flame on top and floodlight projectors directed at it to ensure visibility for pilots. Aviation experts have voiced safety concerns due to its close proximity to the airport's main approach and departure corridor.
The FAA removed an earlier mandate for red obstruction lights, which it typically mandates on structures over 200 feet tall near airports, like the 555-foot Washington Monument. On Tuesday, US Representative Don Beyer pointed out that Trump's plan to establish military drones at the arch would necessitate the FAA to conduct a fresh safety analysis.
Bedford did not directly address the Democratic lawmaker's query. On Sunday, Trump declared his intention to transform the arch into a military complex for drone deployment and sniper positioning. The FAA evaluation did not take drone operations into account. The arch is part of Trump's broader initiative to transform Washington, encompassing the refurbishment of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, redevelopment of a golf course in East Potomac Park, and the addition of his name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Preservationists claim that these projects would modify some of the capital's most distinguished historic landmarks. Veterans have filed a lawsuit to halt the arch, contending that it would obliterate the historic visibility between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
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