Posted on 01/08/2005 3:56:03 PM PST by Robinson Winslow
GA banned from Washington, D.C., for inauguration D.C.'s mayor and AOPA's Boyer incensed over closures
For eight hours on Inauguration Day, Washington, D.C., and the skies for miles around it, will be completely off-limits to general aviation. Similarly, the streets of the nation's capital will be closed to vehicular traffic. Security officials have declared that President Bush's inauguration on January 20 is a "national security event," and the FAA, responding to orders from the Defense and Homeland Security departments, has issued a flight advisory prohibiting all general aviation VFR flight within or above the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
"This is yet another example of GA being made a scapegoat in the name of security," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "All the evidence shows that GA aircraft do not pose a significant security threat — especially when compared to the devastation an airliner could cause. Yet the airlines are allowed to fly freely while GA pilots are essentially grounded."
The GA ban is in effect from 10 a.m. through 6 p.m. The only exception is for IFR aircraft landing or departing Washington Dulles International and Baltimore-Washington International airports, but the FAA anticipates that the GA ramps at both airports will fill up with VIP aircraft. Once all the parking is taken, even IFR aircraft will be diverted to airports outside the ADIZ.
AOPA is not alone in questioning the over-the-top security measures surrounding the coming inauguration. Washington Mayor Anthony Williams has complained that multiple checkpoints and street closures imposed in advance of the inauguration are excessive, snarling traffic, damaging businesses, impacting tourism, and choking commerce in the capital city.
"The GA community understands the need for reasonable security measures around the inauguration," Boyer added. "What we don't understand is why the measures being taken for this inauguration are so extreme. These measures are unnecessarily displacing thousands of pilots, restricting their freedom, and resulting in loss of income for those who use GA to conduct their business."
AOPA continues to question the need for the ADIZ at all, arguing that it is an inappropriate "solution" to a nonexistent problem. "A small airplane weighing less than a large SUV and traveling at 120 mph just doesn't pose the same kind of threat — or create as narrow a response window — as a fully loaded airliner traveling at 400 mph," Boyer explained. "The ADIZ simply doesn't reflect those differences. All it does is restrict GA without doing anything to protect Washington and its citizens from terrorists."
January 6, 2005
Eat dirt, crybaby.
Go away puke.
Son, I say son, you're barking up the wrong tree.
Dont they ban Air traffic within 200 miles of a Nascar event. Whats the big deal here? Thousands will be on the streets watching the parade even a Piper cub could make a big dent if it was loaded with a bomb. Try to use a little bit of common sense before calling GA being stopped from flying over DC is a Gestapo tactic.
Waaaa.
There was this little thing called "9/11", remember it?
This might interest you all...
Well, I'm not too happy with the arrogance that says Presidential Security can ride roughshod over the taxpayers at will, but it's not exactly a new thing and certainly not just post 9/11.
That would have to be a light bomb, with the Cub's low useful load!
This guy is just being a dope. If he think this amounts to Gestapo-ism, I say give him a dose.
"Even Conservative members of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association are close to nausea at the thought of the Gestapo running our nation indefinitely."
Care to back that statement up? Oh, wait. You can't.... you're gone
Troll, prepare to meet your mak....oops, you already did!
9/11... remember ....that.... aircraft used as bombs.... now go away and stop acting like a crybaby.
Hooray!!
No, air traffic is not banned within 200 miles of NASCAR events.
Thank you for sharing that.
Heartiest congratulations for ALMOST making it a full week before being shown the door.
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