Posted on 05/11/2005 9:06:58 AM PDT by pitinkie
Not to mention that if a student pilot is involved, that pilot is usually so engrossed in navigating and inflight checklists following take off that he doesn't hear the radio. That was my experience at least.
The RAM has a new challenger. A 35mm gun system.
No you cannot enter the airspace without a mode C transpoder regardless of whether you are flying VFR or instrument.
Now FOX News is reporting that Tom Ridge and others are saying that over the past few years they were told to raise the alert reason "for no reason." What is that all about? Keep everyone scared? I don't get it. Sometimes I wonder what is really going on and why some of this stuff goes on. The nation has been running like chicken little for the past four years. Other countries that I visit make fun of us. They make fun of our color codes and the "fear" among Americans.
I think that the terrorists are winning when they have everyone scared. I shouldn't say everyone because not all of us are constantly on edge. It has been four years since 9/11. Nothing has happened. We are obviously winning this war. We have obviously made some great strides forward (esp since Clinton).
Hopefully we can stop running around like chicken little with our heads cut off. I don't say that in reference to everyone...just those who post VERY dramatic comments. It is always the same posters and it is always the EXTREME scenerio. It never happens (of course).
LOL Fox news just compared todays event to people running around like scared chickens. And there you have it.
ouch!
manpad stinger range is about 8000 meters, well over 2 miles...........
News reports code orange radius of the ADIZ (safety zone around the WH) is 25 miles. They said the plane made it to 3 miles from the WH. As noted, that is 22 miles travelled in eight minutes (19 nautical miles). The ground speed required is about 140 kts (19/140*60=8.1 minutes). CNN says the Cessna was flying from Lancaster Co. PA to North Carolina (south). Active landing to the south with ~40kt. winds (guess) out of the north at say 2,000 ft. altitude, that leaves 100kts airspeed. It's about right for the Cessna at cruise.
Well, that statement came from Shep Smith and imo, assessing whether or not everyone overreacted is not in his job description.
Do tell Do Tell, when I was on Independence CV-62 we had a 25 mm Bushmaster(the same type on the M-2) and the Marines let me pop off about 50 rounds as well played attack of the killer tomatos(a mine wargame).
Welcome to Free Republic. What brings you here? I'm always interested in finding out how people find out about FR.
So can a truck, so can a VW, so can a human suicide bomber. So are we going to require all cars and trucks to be in radio control in D.C.? Are we going to require all tourists to be in cell phone contact with GPS tracking? And then, when some car or truck or tourist doesn't check in, are we going to assume an attack is underway that threatens everyone downtown and evacuate the capital and the WH! Please! I guarantee you the much bigger threat to DC is from some dude with a backpack that unloads his nefarious arsenal during rush hour at Metro Center subway. Where is the security protecting that threat???!! Small airplanes are much more difficult to target precisely, carry too little payload to be effective and in all likelihood will never be involved in a real attack. What happened today is pure, unadulterated, illogical PARANOIA!
On the other hand, if half a dozen small planes are stolen on the same morning and are converging on Washington from different directions and all have their transponders turned off and refuse to respond to calls on the guard channel, and are flying in at 50 feet above the deck, then we might have a real attack underway. (Just like six stolen cars or trucks all converging on D.C. from different directions might be a threat). But what will be dangerous is what is on board the planes, not the planes themselves!!
http://www.ksla.com/global/story.asp?s=3330355&ClientType=Printable
U.S. Senator Landrieu Blasts Capitol Evacuation Plan
U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, (D) Louisiana, blasted evacuation procedures in place at the U.S. Capitol complex following Wednesday morning's evacuation there. "There's still a lot of confusion about where to evacuate and exactly what's going on," Senator Landrieu told KSLA NEWS 12. "It's disconcerting that we often get more information from relatives who are watching CNN and calling us than we do from personnel here," the Senator said. "We're supposed to have a meeting point but that place was arbitrarily changed this morning."
Landrieu said she had just left the Senate floor and was having lunch with constituents inside the Dirksen building (part of the capitol complex) when they were ordered to leave. "Some people were told to run for their lives," Landrieu said. "We still have a lot of work to do when it comes to the evacuation of this capitol complex." "There's a lot to be desired," the Senator said.
Both the U.S. Capitol and White House were briefly evacuated after a small plane entered restricted airspace over the city. Officials later said a small Cessna aircraft breached the security zone over Washington. The plane was reportedly approached by a fighter aircraft and veered away. The evacuation order was then lifted.
U.S. Congressman Jim McCrery, (R) Louisiana, said he did not have any problems with the way the situation was handled. McCrery said he was having lunch inside the Capitol when he and others were ordered to evacuate. "The Capitol police did a good job of telling us to get out and directing us once we got outside," McCrery said.
The Congressman discounted Senator Landrieu's account of the situation being unorganized. "There was a plane just miles from the capitol complex," McCrery said. "They didn't have time to stop and explain what the basis of the emergency was." "They wanted to get us to safety." "We can find out what the problem is later," McCrery said. McCrery said he and others "ran for about two blocks and then we started walking." "I don't know how you make a situation like that look less chaotic." "The police have been told there is a plane approaching and you've got to get everyone out quickly," McCrery said.
Thank god Dubya was in Maryland...
According to what I read, the 35mm system has rounds that explode at varying distances from the gun. It tries to match the target's incoming range. If it works, it would be the perfect CIWS.
That pig was just mad she had to stop eating.
Given that apparently this was a student-involved incident, I blame the instructor. It's not like there are street signs up there warning you that you're entering restricted airspace, but certainly a CFI (Certified Flight Instructor) that routinely flies in the area should know where not to go.
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