More than two dozen US lawmakers are urging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to pause use of a new artificial intelligence tool for Washington-area air traffic until the agency answers questions about safety testing and staff training. The request came after limited operations involving flights at Reagan National (DCA), Washington Dulles (IAD) and Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) began on September 21, 2026. Representative April McClain Delaney said the letter was sent to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.
Lawmakers sought details about testing in severe weather and equipment outages. The FAA says SMART does not replace air traffic controllers: agency staff review its recommendations, and local air traffic control leaders can accept or reject them. The system combines about 200 data streams to forecast congestion and suggest scheduling changes before delays begin to cascade.
