Updated: Feb 17 2025, 21:15 PM EST Share on Facebook Washington's Air Disaster Prompted FAA's Overhaul The recent incident in Washington, DC, has prompted a massive probe into the FAA's systems after the American Airlines plane and Army helicopter crashed into each other, leaving all 67 passengers of the commercial flight dead. This led to the FAA laying off hundreds of its probationary employees who were revealed to be critical for its air traffic operations, but the exact figure was not shared. SpaceX and Its Massive Role in Aviation SpaceX has been at the mercy of the FAA for the many years it has been operating, and the Elon Musk-owned corporation has faced different probes by the governing body. Last year, SpaceX faced an investigation from the FAA that temporarily suspended its license after the Falcon 9 fiasco, but it was immediately rectified by the company. SpaceX's massive plans for the Starship program also fell under the watchful eyes of the aviation authorities as its experimental rocket that recently experienced a series of failed launches. That being said, the fourth, fifth, and sixth test flights of the company were a resounding success, but before its November launch, the FAA grounded it for an investigation. However, despite all of SpaceX's extensive knowledge in the world of aviation, it mostly centered on spaceflights for rockets, and not aerial flights for commercial, private, or military planes. That being said, it is now given the role of helping the FAA fix its air traffic control system in Virginia after the Washington incident and massive layoffs, with SpaceX to learn the ropes first before effecting change.