It's not easy being Orange

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Author Message   KJ Posted on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 06:05 pm:    Yup, we're all citrused-up as we embrace Code Orange. So, do we duck and cover, or stop, drop and roll? Me? I'm interpreting it as a sign to move from M&Ms to Reese's! Karen   Michael Noe New Member Username: Noee Post Number: 425 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Sunday, February 09, 2003 - 10:30 am:    Something's going down. Our neighbor is a high-ranking official for the state disease control and he is under 24-hr emergency call, not to mention the fact that he's nervous and anxious as hell. It's a bit disconcerting. Also, you got this stuff going on: ---------------------------------------------------------------- AOPA ePilot Special Airspace Bulletin February 9, 2003 ---------------------------------------------------------------- A special notice to AOPA members in the Washington, D.C., area ==> ATTENTION PILOTS <== FAA IMPOSES ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR WASHINGTON-AREA AIRSPACE AOPA is sending this message to inform you that the FAA and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are imposing additional restrictions on airspace in the Washington, D.C./ Baltimore metropolitan area. The restrictions, which become effective at 6 a.m. local time on Monday, February 10, are in response to the increased terrorism threat level announced Friday. The restrictions were announced in a conference call with AOPA and other representatives from the GA community conducted by FAA Administrator Marion Blakey and TSA Chief Operating Officer Admiral John Shkor. The specific details are contained in four separate notams that were released late Saturday evening. "While it is imperative that pilots comply with these new restrictions that are being imposed based on security concerns, it is equally important that the FAA provide accurate guidance and information to pilots," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. AOPA staff stressed this Saturday afternoon in a telephone conversation with Blakey and Shkor. Too often the FAA has failed to adequately inform pilots of security airspace restrictions. "This is simply not acceptable," Boyer said. The biggest notam, 3/1106, establishes an "air defense identification zone" that approximately covers the lateral limits of the Baltimore-Washington Class B airspace and a 30-nm extension to the north and south of the DCA VOR, from the surface to 18,000 feet msl. Within this area, all aircraft will be required to operate on a VFR or IFR flight plan, squawk a discrete transponder code, and maintain two-way communication with air traffic control. All flight plans should be filed on the ground, although "air-files" will be permitted. General aviation Part 91 operations continue to be prohibited within the Washington special flight rules area (SFAR 94) within 15 nm of DCA. This notam affects operations at 23 public-use--and several private--airports that are home to more than 2,400 based aircraft and host more than 910,000 annual operations. Another notam, 3/1105, addresses the current "DC3" waiver holders. Beginning at 6 a.m. Monday, authorized operations into and out of the "DC3" airports (College Park, Hyde Field, and Potomac Airpark) will be subject to more onerous security procedures. Aircraft, crew, and passengers will be subject to security screening by TSA prior to departing. Arrivals will be required to first land at Lee Airport (ANP), so far the only designated "gateway" airport outside of the SFAR airspace, for screening prior to landing at one of the "DC3" airports. The details of these procedures are still being worked out. Notam 3/1104 cancels any current waivers for operations in the Washington flight restriction area. New waivers must be obtained before resuming operations, affecting electronic news gathering and international arrivals, among others. Waivers for operations into and out of the Maryland "DC3" airports are not affected. In addition to the Washington-area airspace restrictions, a fourth notam—3/1103--suspends all waivers to the sporting event notam (2/0199). This means that banner towers may not operate over stadiums that have a seating capacity of 30,000 or more in which a major sporting event is occurring. The full text of the notams is provided below. A graphical depiction of the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) is available on AOPA Online ( http://www.aopa.org/ ). Pilots are strongly encouraged to check notams before each flight.