In a joint letter organized and led by Vertical Aviation International (VAI), 37 prominent aviation associations have urged FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford to review whether slacklines and similar temporary obstructions are addressed with sufficient clarity under existing notice and marking frameworks. The request, aims to reduce the risk of low-altitude aircraft striking obstructions, highlighted concerns raised by the Jan. 2, 2026, fatal accident near Superior, Arizona, where a helicopter struck a slackline, resulting in the deaths of four people.
Leading the effort with VAI were the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the National Agricultural Aviation Association. The coalition asks the FAA to engage with industry and relevant stakeholders on measures to reduce the risk of future accidents involving temporary obstructions in low-altitude airspace, including slacklines.
The coalition calls on the FAA to examine:
- Whether existing notices, markings, and lighting adequately address slacklines and similar temporary obstructions that penetrate navigable airspace
- Whether notices to pilots about obstructions, including Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), should be improved to support more consistent graphical depiction across maps, flight-planning tools, electronic flight bags, cockpit avionics, and other digital aviation platforms
- Whether additional outreach and compliance efforts are needed for non-aviation communities whose activities create hazards in navigable airspace.
According to the letter, FAA data identifies low-altitude object strikes as a recurring fatal accident category; these accidents comprise the highest-occurrence category in both Part 133 and Part 137 helicopter operations. The coalition notes that the data underscores the need to evaluate whether current systems for identifying, communicating, and mitigating temporary obstruction hazards remain sufficient as the FAA looks to modernize the US National Airspace System.
“The data is clear: Low-altitude object strikes remain one of the most persistent and deadly threats in helicopter operations,” says François Lassale, VAI president and CEO. “This request reflects a practical, safety-focused effort to work with the FAA and industry partners to examine lessons from the Superior, Arizona, accident and similar tragedies to identify measures that reduce risk before another accident occurs.”
Among the issues highlighted in the request is the opportunity to improve how obstruction NOTAMs are presented to pilots. While some electronic flight bag products and avionics platforms support graphical NOTAM depictions, the coalition noted those capabilities remain inconsistent and called for broader, more reliable mapping of obstruction hazards during both preflight and in-flight operations.
“Safety improvements often begin by recognising a hazard clearly and acting before it is repeated,” Lassale said. “That is the spirit of this effort.”
To read the coalition letter click HERE
