Ed Dartford
Well-Known Member
Freedoms Lost
Google was no help. I talked with my son who is an airline pilot. Here is the scoop.
1 It is true that the Washington DC SFRA (Special Flight Rules Area) is different from a TCA (Terminal; Control Area).
2. It exists only below 18,000 ft. Most TCAs top out at 10.000 ft and you can overfly one VFR without any flight plan to avoid the hassle. .
3. However, above 18,000 ft (anywhere) an IFR flight plan is required.
4. So in a roundabout way the FAA prohibits VFR flight over the top of the area. VFR is permitted within the area with a flight plan, and with specific avionics in the plane and special pilot training. In fact a flight plan for the entire flight is not required. You must contact ATC and ATC will give you a unique transponder code, and give you assigned altitude and vectors (direction to fly).
5. Technically the plane was never in the restricted airspace. Its problem was flying at 35,000 ft without an active IFR flight plan. The fact that it happened to fly over Washington DC is the reason for great alarm and the jet fighters.
6. The plane was intended to land at Islip Long island. The autopilot "knows" that you have reached the destination but have not landed. In that case the autopilot must do something, and return to where you came from is the default plan. Too bad that took the plane over Washington DC.
Here is what happened. I think it is important that the plane did not violate the restricted airspace
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Freedoms Lost
In 1961 I got my engineering degree and was hired by General Electric. Then I realized that I had enough money to get a pilot license. Thereafter I flew small Piper Cherokee planes all around the Eastern USA, and over to Eleuthera island in the Bahamas. One favorite day trip was to Washington National airport, now renamed “Reagan airport”.
I could not do that today. Yesterday a small corporate jet simply flew over the Washington DC restricted airspace without authorization and was intercepted at supersonic speed by six jet fighters. Even so the unauthorized plane had flown beyond the airspace before the jets caught up with it. The pilot was likely incapacitated by loss of pressurization, and the plane was on autopilot. It eventually crashed when it ran out of fuel.
The restricted airspace extends up only to 18,000 ft, and the plane was flying at 35,000 ft, so it was never actually in the restricted airspace. However, any flight above 18,000 ft requires an Instrument flight plan. There was no active flight plan because when no landing was done at the destination, Islip Long island, the autopilot had turned the plane around towards where it came from. Unfortunately that took it over Washington DC and resulted in great alarm and jet fighters.
Back in the day I could fly into Washington National airport without even a VFR flight plan. On Sunday airline traffic almost stopped, and this great airport was taken over by dozens of little Pipers and Cessna's, all filled with kids on their way to see the museums and monuments of our capital city. One day a week it became the people’s airport. It was real patriotic democracy in action.
After I got my Instrument rating I often flew the “River One” instrument approach. It starts at the Potomac River a few miles north of the airport, and you visually follow the river all the way to the runway. As you fly this approach at quite low altitude the Mall, the Capitol and all the monuments are laid out close by on your left. What a sight. If you take an airline flight into Reagan airport, get a window seat on the left and you may experience this unforgettable sight.
We have lost countless freedoms that were once our birthright. For me the most painful example is what has been done to Washington National Airport.
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1 It is true that the Washington DC SFRA (Special Flight Rules Area) is different from a TCA (Terminal; Control Area).
2. It exists only below 18,000 ft. Most TCAs top out at 10.000 ft and you can overfly one VFR without any flight plan to avoid the hassle. .
3. However, above 18,000 ft (anywhere) an IFR flight plan is required.
4. So in a roundabout way the FAA prohibits VFR flight over the top of the area. VFR is permitted within the area with a flight plan, and with specific avionics in the plane and special pilot training. In fact a flight plan for the entire flight is not required. You must contact ATC and ATC will give you a unique transponder code, and give you assigned altitude and vectors (direction to fly).
5. Technically the plane was never in the restricted airspace. Its problem was flying at 35,000 ft without an active IFR flight plan. The fact that it happened to fly over Washington DC is the reason for great alarm and the jet fighters.
6. The plane was intended to land at Islip Long island. The autopilot "knows" that you have reached the destination but have not landed. In that case the autopilot must do something, and return to where you came from is the default plan. Too bad that took the plane over Washington DC.
Here is what happened. I think it is important that the plane did not violate the restricted airspace
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Freedoms Lost
In 1961 I got my engineering degree and was hired by General Electric. Then I realized that I had enough money to get a pilot license. Thereafter I flew small Piper Cherokee planes all around the Eastern USA, and over to Eleuthera island in the Bahamas. One favorite day trip was to Washington National airport, now renamed “Reagan airport”.
I could not do that today. Yesterday a small corporate jet simply flew over the Washington DC restricted airspace without authorization and was intercepted at supersonic speed by six jet fighters. Even so the unauthorized plane had flown beyond the airspace before the jets caught up with it. The pilot was likely incapacitated by loss of pressurization, and the plane was on autopilot. It eventually crashed when it ran out of fuel.
The restricted airspace extends up only to 18,000 ft, and the plane was flying at 35,000 ft, so it was never actually in the restricted airspace. However, any flight above 18,000 ft requires an Instrument flight plan. There was no active flight plan because when no landing was done at the destination, Islip Long island, the autopilot had turned the plane around towards where it came from. Unfortunately that took it over Washington DC and resulted in great alarm and jet fighters.
Back in the day I could fly into Washington National airport without even a VFR flight plan. On Sunday airline traffic almost stopped, and this great airport was taken over by dozens of little Pipers and Cessna's, all filled with kids on their way to see the museums and monuments of our capital city. One day a week it became the people’s airport. It was real patriotic democracy in action.
After I got my Instrument rating I often flew the “River One” instrument approach. It starts at the Potomac River a few miles north of the airport, and you visually follow the river all the way to the runway. As you fly this approach at quite low altitude the Mall, the Capitol and all the monuments are laid out close by on your left. What a sight. If you take an airline flight into Reagan airport, get a window seat on the left and you may experience this unforgettable sight.
We have lost countless freedoms that were once our birthright. For me the most painful example is what has been done to Washington National Airport.
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