WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. aviation regulators plan to reorganize air space over New York's Hudson River to eliminate the type of crowding that contributed to a collision of a small plane and a helicopter that killed nine people.
The Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday it would create altitude corridors for different aircraft to streamline traffic around Manhattan and prevent congestion.
The agency also plans to develop new training for pilots, air traffic controllers and businesses that operate helicopters and other aircraft in the area. A key change would require pilots to use specific radio frequencies for the Hudson and East rivers.
"These steps will significantly enhance safety in this busy area and create crystal clear rules for all of the pilots who operate there," FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said in a statement.
The agency hopes to have the changes in place by mid-November.
Under current guidelines, pilots are mainly responsible for safety when flying over the river. Navigating the river can require multiple radio frequencies, a problem noted by crash investigators.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the August 8 collision.
(Reporting by John Crawley, editing by Jackie Frank)
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