FAA does not recognize Trump arch as aviation hazard in the US — Jerusalem Post
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated that the triumphal arch proposed by President Donald Trump near Arlington National Cemetery in Washington would not pose a hazard to aviation. At the same time, the structure is to be equipped with a light marking at its top and spotlights directed at the arch so that it is visible to pilots, The Jerusalem Post reports.
FAA conditions
The planned height of the arch is 250 feet, or 76 meters. It is to be located 3,000 feet from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, within the main aircraft approach and departure corridor.
Previously, the FAA noted that the facility would require red obstruction lights. However, in its new decision, the agency indicated that such lights are no longer mandatory for the structure. The FAA also determined that pilots must fly at least 780 feet above the area of the arch — at least 488 feet above its projected top.
The FAA decision may be reconsidered if someone files a relevant petition by October 18.
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Veterans’ lawsuit and risk assessment
The arch is part of Trump’s proposed project for the 250th anniversary of the United States. Veterans filed a lawsuit seeking to block construction, arguing that the structure would destroy the historic visual axis between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
In June, Senator Tammy Duckworth, the leading Democrat on the Senate aviation subcommittee, urged the FAA not to approve the project because of possible risks to commercial flights. According to her, the National Park Service reported that construction would require cranes between 300 and 320 feet tall, and work could continue for up to 20 hours a day for two to three years.
On September 4, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to provide 48 hours’ notice before any work at the arch site, except for work to identify underground cultural artifacts.
