Two commercial flights near Washington, D.C., aborted landings on May 1 due to a 20-second communication blackout with a military Black Hawk helicopter. The Army attributed the issue to a poorly placed temporary antenna, but critics are skeptical. This incident follows a deadly January helicopter-plane collision and raises concerns about outdated military air traffic control systems under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The Pentagon's air traffic control issues mirror similar problems at Newark Airport, prompting calls for modernization and accountability to prevent future tragedies.

Prepared by Jonathan Pierce and reviewed by editorial team.