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Allied Pilots Association Supports ADS-B In Technology to Enhance Safety
FORT WORTH, Texas (Jan. 30, 2026) – The Allied Pilots Association (APA), certified collective bargaining agent for the 16,000 pilots of American Airlines, voiced its support for utilizing Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast In (ADS-B In) technology to provide critical, real-time air traffic information to improve pilots’ situational awareness.
“With yesterday marking the one-year anniversary of the devastating midair collision in Washington between PSA Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Sikorsky UH-60, APA emphasizes its ongoing commitment to the preservation and enhancement of aviation safety,” said First Officer Nick Silva, APA President. “We support the use of ADS-B In technology to improve safety in our skies by enabling pilots and air traffic controllers to be even more proactive, ensuring greater positive control of aircraft spacing and separation.”
American Airlines, in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and APA, has equipped more than 300 of its Airbus A321 aircraft with real-time Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) utilizing ADS-B In technology. Thousands of APA pilots now possess years of operational experience with this enhanced system. CDTI increases awareness of surrounding air traffic in the airport environment. As controllers issue clearances to pilots, those clearances become even clearer with ADS-B In, as pilots are presented with an enhanced situation display of aircraft in the area – including their altitude, speed, call sign, and importantly, their direction – thus providing an additional layer of safety for operators in the National Airspace System (NAS).
“American Airlines flight crews are at the forefront of conducting certain ADS-B In applications and are currently the only pilots globally that are trained and qualified to do so, and APA supports the further expansion of this technology across the airline’s fleet,” Silva said, noting that American Airlines is developing a plan to equip the remainder of its narrowbody fleet.
When asked earlier this week about the implementation of ADS-B In technology to enhance safety, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy responded with a rhetorical question: “Are you for safety?”
“APA endorses NTSB Chair Homendy’s position that ADS-B In represents a significant enhancement to safety. We urge policymakers and the FAA to expedite the advancement and implementation of this technology and its related applications to enhance safety in the NAS,” Silva said. “We pledge to provide the necessary expertise and resources to support its adoption, with the core objective of enhancing safety for our passengers, pilots, and controllers.”
Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association – the largest independent pilots union in the United States – is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA represents the 16,000 pilots of American Airlines, including several hundred pilots on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union’s website is AlliedPilots.org.