Still Seeking Reasoning Behind The ADIZ

If the function of the ADIZ is to ensure the security of the seat of government, some might question Thursday’s TFR that arose around the president when he spoke at Sterling, Va., a hop, skip and a jump from the White House, and well within the ADIZ. “If the ADIZ is doing its job, why does the President need a TFR when he goes inside the ADIZ?” Boykin asked. And while government officials may believe there exists a threat from GA, “the federal government has failed to justify the threat to the public,” he said. National Air Transportation Association President Jim Coyne, a well-connected former senator, added his own voice. Coyne told the panel he’s moved his airplane’s base three times in three years, each time farther from Washington, “to avoid the draconian consequences of an accidental encroachment on the ADIZ” he said in news release. Coyne joined other alphabet group leaders in denouncing the practical impact of making the ADIZ permanent, saying there is no evidence it will reduce the threat of terrorism. And like other Washington-area pilots, he won’t be flying anywhere near Washington on Jan. 31 when President Bush delivers his State of the Union Address to Congress. The entire 3,000 square miles of the ADIZ will be closed to general aviation operations from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Airliners will continue to operate as usual. Boyer said that while it’s understandable that increased security be in place when all the country’s federal leaders are in the same place, he said it doesn’t make any sense that GA is the only transportation sector to be shut down during the event.