More than two dozen members of Congress asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, to pause the use of a new artificial intelligence tool designed to assist air traffic controllers in the Washington, D.C. area. The lawmakers cited concerns regarding the lack of published safety evaluations and training protocols for the software, known as the Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes, and Trajectories (SMART) tool.
The FAA deployed the SMART tool on September 21 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The agency reportedly plans to expand the use of the technology nationwide within 90 days following the initial evaluation period. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and others stated that the deployment occurred without sufficient consultation with air traffic controllers or safety experts.
In a letter addressed to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, the lawmakers requested information on three primary areas: safety testing during severe weather or outages, the extent of training provided to aviation safety personnel, and the accountability measures in place should the tool contribute to a safety incident. Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) noted that the region is still addressing safety concerns following a fatal aircraft crash at Reagan National Airport the previous year that resulted in 67 deaths.
For the residents of the National Capital Region and Maryland, the request emphasizes a demand for transparency following the fatal crash at Reagan National last year. Travelers would notice the impact of this request if it results in the suspension of the automated routing assistance currently in use, potentially reverting controllers to previous manual or non-AI-assisted management methods. The lawmakers are seeking to establish a precedent that safety-critical systems must undergo independently verified testing and public disclosure before deployment by federal agencies.
What happens next depends on the response from the Department of Transportation and the FAA. The lawmakers have requested answers regarding how performance will be measured during the 90-day evaluation phase and whether any safety review requirements were waived during the contracting process. While a specific deadline for a response was not reported, the tool remains in active use at the three regional airports as of October 13.