Sen. Charles Schumer is proposing new measures that he says would help prevent another crash over the Hudson River like the one that killed nine people earlier this month.
"We cannot let the Hudson River corridor stay the wild west of New York City airspace, or the tragic crash earlier this month will be just the beginning," Schumer said on Sunday.
A collision between a small plane and a sightseeing helicopter in an area of busy air traffic over the Hudson River on Aug. 8 killed nine people.
Schumer wants the Federal Aviation Administration to monitor all helicopter and airplane flights below 1,000 feet. He also says the FAA should develop safety standards for commercial sightseeing tours.
At local control towers like the one at Teterboro airport, Schumer wants more staffing and he wants alarm systems installed that set off progressively louder alarms as aircraft get closer to each other.
Schumer held a presser Sunday in Manhattan to announce his recommendations. He says Congress needs to fund new technology to make air-traffic control operations safer.
