G.R. Patterson III wrote:
I want to make a VFR run from New Jersey to Tennessee next Tuesday. It might be
advantageous for me to pass through the Washington ADIZ just south of the no-fly
zone. I believe that the procedure is to call up Baltimore approach, get a
squawk code, and get permission to enter the class B. A few questions -

Is it necessary to file a flight plan?
How likely is it that ATC will let me through? Conversely, how likely is it they
will just tell me to remain clear?

Yes. You absolutely need to file an ADIZ-specific flight plan. Just
doing a generic VFR flightplan from New Jersey to Tennessee will not do.
The ADIZ flight plans are special, because (1) they go to ATC, where
normal VFR flight plans don't, and (2) they go to the security agency
"watching" the airspace from above (usually). In fact, it has been
reported that the ADIZ flightplans are actually input to the system as IFR
flightplans with a VFR altitude and something like "VFR ADIZ" in the
comments section.

Theoretically, they don't "clear" you at all. All you need is 2-way radio
communications established, and a transponder code assigned. This is, of
course, assuming you remain clear of the class B airspace (and ESPECIALLY
the inner FRZ airspace). Occasionally, you apparently get a controller
who says something like "cleared" to your destination, but this isn't
explicitly neccessary by the wording of the NOTAM. You shouldn't have
much of a problem unless you go through at a particularly busy time.

Having said that, I live right under the ADIZ, and very close to the
FRZ, and I've chosen to move my plane out from under the ADIZ and avoid
the whole thing completely. Be warned... if they lose your transponder
reply during any point of the flight within the ADIZ, you will be ordered
to leave by the most direct route outbound (whether you like it or not).
For me, this was way too much bullsh*t to put up with. Make sure you
familiarize yourself with the applicable NOTAMs, the boundaries of the
ADIZ and FRZ, and most of all... the procedures to follow if intercepted
by military aircraft. Neither the F16s or the Blackhawks will be fooling
around if you make an honest mistake and end up being intercepted.

--- Jay



--
__!__
Jay and Teresa Masino ___(_)___
http://www2.ari.net/jmasino ! ! !
http://www.oceancityairport.com
http://www.oc-adolfos.com