ROTOR Act advances in following bipartisan committee approval US Senate bill calls for ADS-B In rulemaking to improve operational transparency. On Oct. 21, 2025, the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act (S.2503) advanced out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation following a bipartisan agreement led by Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). Cruz introduced the ROTOR Act in July following the Jan. 29, 2025, midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) that claimed 67 lives. The bill directs the FAA to issue a rule requiring ADS-B In for all manned aircraft operating in airspace that requires ADS-B Out and provides some flexibility on technical options to achieve that mandate for smaller general aviation aircraft. Under the legislation, the FAA must issue the rule within two years of enactment, and all affected aircraft must comply no later than Dec. 31, 2031. The bill also directs the development of an Airborne Collision Avoidance System-X (ACAS-X) Action Plan and the creation of a new Office of FAA–DoD Coordination to improve communication between civil and military aviation authorities. It further directs an inspector-general audit of US Army aviation practices and an FAA safety review of airspace near major airports. As the ROTOR Act moves through the legislative process, VAI will continue working with Congress, the FAA, and the vertical aviation community through our industry advisory councils (IACs) to support ongoing efforts to strengthen aviation safety.
