Flying through the DC ADIZ

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?

George Patterson
If a man gets into a fight 3,000 miles away from home, he *had* to have
been looking for it.

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

George,
The ADIZ and the Class B are two different animals.
IF you want to go through the Washington Dc airspace then you need to:
1) File IFR. or
2) File an ADIZ Flight plan and request flight following. Pray you get
flight following.
the ADIZ flight plan does not guarantee entry into the Class B.
For god sakes make sure you have a Current chart. The south eastern
portion of the ADIZ extends beyond the Class B. Lots of violation in
this area. Watch out for P-40 as well. It changes sizes frequently.

Safe bet go around.
Michelle

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?

George Patterson
If a man gets into a fight 3,000 miles away from home, he *had* to have
been looking for it.



--

Michelle P ATP-ASEL, CP-AMEL, and AMT-A&P

"Elisabeth" a Maule M-7-235B (no two are alike)

Volunteer Pilot, Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic

Volunteer Builder, Habitat for Humanity

Michelle P wrote:

Safe bet go around.

Thanks to you and Jay. It'll cost me all of about 8 minutes to go around. That's
what I'll do.

George Patterson
If a man gets into a fight 3,000 miles away from home, he *had* to have
been looking for it.

G.R. Patterson III wrote:

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.

Close, but not quite so simple. See below.

Is it necessary to file a flight plan?

Yes, via a phone call to FSS. Using DUATS or other means is not allowed for
ADIZ flight plans.

How likely is it that ATC will let me through?

Very. They don't have a choice, really. However, if the airspace is busy,
the radio will be buzzing and you'll need to be concise.

Conversely, how likely
is it they will just tell me to remain clear?

They won't. They may not clear you into the Class B, but they have to let
you through the ADIZ (assuming you've followed the other rules).

The ADIZ rules are relatively simple (once you boil off all the legalese):
1. File a flight plan via FSS. The flight plan should include an entry
point and an exit point to help ensure the proper controller has a copy of
your P-strip.
2. Maintain 2-way comms while in the ADIZ.
3. Maintain a discrete beacon code while in the ADIZ.
4. If your transponder goes tango uniform, exit the ADIZ immediately via the
shortest direct route.

Note: An ADIZ flight plan does *not* provide you clearance into the FRZ.
Unless you're allowed (and you'd know if you are), stay out of the FRZ
unless you want to make an involuntary diversion.

If you're accustomed to ATC, dealing with the ADIZ isn't all that difficult.
Behind the scenes, the ADIZ flight plan is indeed entered into the "system"
as an IFR flight plan with "DC ADIZ" in the remarks section. During peak
times, there is a dedicated controller assigned to ADIZ flights in certain
sectors. If you get one of these controllers, do not expect to be cleared
in the Class B - these are non-radar positions. Most controllers seem to
attempt to provide radar services, but expect to maintain VFR while in the
ADIZ. Yes, VFR in the ADIZ is entirely possible and actually encouraged (at
least in my experience).

Do not wait for "cleared into the ADIZ". Once ATC comes back with "N123,
Potomac, squawk 1234", you have established 2-way comms and have your
discrete beacon code. Proceed on course maintaining VFR.

Now, I say all this wishing like hell the restrictions would go away. On
the other hand, if we let Them intimidate us into "voluntarily" giving up
our right to use of navigable airspace, what city would be next to get their
own ADIZ?

If you're interested, I have a couple of videos showing flights in the ADIZ
on my site:
http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer/flights.asp#040808
http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer/flights.asp#030308

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer
http://www.pocketgear.com/products_s...veloperid=4415
____________________

John T wrote:
Now, I say all this wishing like hell the restrictions would go away. On
the other hand, if we let Them intimidate us into "voluntarily" giving up
our right to use of navigable airspace, what city would be next to get their
own ADIZ?

It's noble to think we can "resist" this, and eventually defeat it, by
continuing to use the airspace, but now that the Secret Service has it's
teeth in the airspace around DC, I think there's no chance that it'll ever
go back to normal in our lifetime. As a person who flys purely for
pleasure, I can't see putting up with it. If flying is important to you,
the only real choice is to look into moving out of the area.

--- Jay


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

John T wrote:

If you're interested, I have a couple of videos showing flights in the ADIZ
on my site:

Thanks. The briefer is forecasting rain and vis of ~1 mile for most of my route tomorrow. We're
renting a car.

George Patterson