The soldiers flying the Black Hawk helicopter that collided with the American Airlines flight on Wednesday night were from the Army’s 12th Aviation Battalion. Pilots from this unit are highly experienced in navigating the complex airspace near Reagan National Airport. The low-level helicopter routes in the area have been in operation for decades, making it one of the busiest aviation operation centers in the country.
According to former pilots in the unit, careful communication and cooperation between pilots and Reagan tower are essential due to the high level of aviation activity in the area. The soldiers flying the Black Hawk were described as fairly experienced and were on an annual proficiency training flight at the time of the collision.
