DCA to reopen to GA

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,157573,00.html

Reagan Nat'l Airport Reopening to Private Planes

Tuesday, May 24, 2005
WASHINGTON - Private planes will be allowed to take off and land at Reagan
National Airport (search) for the first time since Sept. 11, 2001, the
Transportation Security Administration is expected to announce Wednesday,
according to people in government and aviation who have seen the plan.

Congress (search) has long been pressuring the TSA to reopen the airport to
charter aircraft, business jets and private planes. It is far more
convenient to downtown Washington than the other two airports in the region,
Dulles International Airport and Baltimore-Washington International Airport.

But the TSA has been reluctant to reopen Reagan National Airport to private
aircraft because it's so close to the Capitol, the White House and other
potential terrorist targets.

It took weeks after the terror attacks for security officials to reopen the
airport to commercial airlines.

"It's overdue," said Rep. John Mica, the Florida Republican who chairs the
House Transportation Committee's (search) aviation subcommittee. "It can be
done safely. I've been convinced all along."

The requirements will be strict, said people familiar with the plan who
spoke on condition of anonymity because the TSA had not yet made an
announcement.

In 90 days, the plan would allow 48 flights into the airport a day. Their
crews will have to have their backgrounds checked and an armed law
enforcement officer will have to be on board, the people said.

WASHINGTON - Private planes will be allowed to take off and land at Reagan

Great news!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

WASHINGTON - Private planes will be allowed to take off and land at Reagan

Great news!

Uh, not so fast. 45 a day (ok, that's a start), security clearances
first (which probably includes fingerprinting like a common criminal - I
understand that other airports in the area already do this), and an
armed officer being on board the aircraft. Presumably this is an
appropriately vetted officer. Where are they going to get these
officers? Land at Gaithersberg first? Have them flown out to the
originating airport?

This sounds like just enough to open the airport to corporate jets,
which is just enough to shut enough people up so that it stops there.
Maybe I'm just too cynical from living in the Northeast, and I hope it
goes well and leads to our government granting us more privileges in our
nation's captiol, but I'm not holding my breath.

Jose
--
The price of freedom is... well... freedom.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

first (which probably includes fingerprinting like a common criminal - I
understand that other airports in the area already do this),

Jose

Not only common criminals are fingerprinted.

I have been fingerprinted voluntarily numerous times.. A few times for
the purpose of obtaining and renewing my state's concealed handgun
license (which by the way, is NOT banned in small planes.. only the
airliners..).

Dave

Jose wrote:

...., and an
armed officer being on board the aircraft. Presumably this is an
appropriately vetted officer. Where are they going to get these
officers?

Well, if your State has such a thing, apply for an honorary deputy sheriff's
position and take the required training.

George Patterson
"Naked" means you ain't got no clothes on; "nekkid" means you ain't got
no clothes on - and are up to somethin'.

I don't see how it's such "Great News". With a requirement to have a
law enforcement officer on board, it does nothing for those of us with
small planes. I have to have a cop sitting in my Skyhawk to land
there? Where do I get one? Where do I put him if I have my wife and
baggage with me?

It's just more silly, unnecessary bull****.

wrote:

I don't see how it's such "Great News". With a requirement to have a
law enforcement officer on board, it does nothing for those of us with
small planes. I have to have a cop sitting in my Skyhawk to land
there? Where do I get one? Where do I put him if I have my wife and
baggage with me?

It's just more silly, unnecessary bull****.


How hard is it to get deputized? :-)

Matt

Rosspilot wrote:

Where do I put him if I have my wife and baggage with me?

On the wing.

--
Peter

I don't see how it's such "Great News". With a requirement to have a
law enforcement officer on board, it does nothing for those of us with
small planes.

It's a step in the right direction, plain and simple.

Nothing more, nothing less.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

No, I disagree. It is as someone else mentioned, just enough of a step
to shut up the people who actually matter to the gov't. The rest of us,
unfortunately, only get heard through AOPA, and they obviously don't
have enough clout to get us our rightful access to the DC-3 airports...
honestly, I could care less about flying into DCA... the other airports
that have been shutdown are far more GA friendly. At least there is a
way to get in to them, but it requires jumping through way too many
hoops for the occasional transient pilot.

--
jr