AVmail: November 17, 2003

Reader mail this week about the Washington ADIZ, the most-overpaid workers, and more.

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ADIZ Incursions

Unless you fly regularly near Washington, D.C., you might be unaware — as I was recently — that the ADIZ exists, and that probably accounts for many of the 600+ incursions since it was started (NewsWire, Nov. 13). Also the ADIZ is not tiered like the Class B airspace around DCA, which further might cause some confusion.Calling FSS is no guarantee that you will receive the necessary information, either. I planned to fly VFR from the Northeast to Gaithersburg, M.D., (GAI), which is inside the ADIZ. I filed a VFR flight plan with FSS but was not notified that I needed a separate ADIZ flight plan. I called again just before the flight to get another preflight briefing and again was told nothing about the ADIZ. I then asked if there were were any flight restrictions on my proposed route and the specialist then told me that I needed an ADIZ flight plan to penetrate the ADIZ. Had I not asked for this information — and if I had not asked for flight following from Potomac ATC — I would have been another statistic.Incidentally, once I did file the ADIZ flight plans (to enter as well as to exit), I had no problem flying my routes. Before departing GAI, I was given a squawk and a frequency by the TRACON. Nevertheless, other aircraft taking off from GAI just ahead of me simply called Departure Control and were given codes en route as in the past.Lee Charendoff


The FAA’s William Shumann expressed frustration concerning pilots violating the ADIZ (NewsWire, Nov. 13), saying, “We don’t know why … it’s on the charts, it’s on our Web site.” I’d like to know what chart! This is the same situation we had before the FRZ was depicted on the navigational charts. It’s on the charts now, but not the ADIZ. Imagine, pilots can see it and stay clear of it!Mind you, we aren’t pushing to get it posted, because we all know once on the chart means almost never a chance of getting it off the chart. How about an overlay insert with both the Washington terminal and sectional charts?As airport manager of GAI — inside the ADIZ, outside the FRZ — we are also extremely frustrated by the transient incursion activity. It gives us all a black eye. Too often we are told from the transient pilot that his local FSS didn’t mention anything about an ADIZ when filing his flight plan to GAI, or other airports within the ADIZ. Then, too, you have the pilot who is using a sectional chart from 1999 — who’s flown the coast before without any concern — totally unaware of airspace changes around our nation’s capital since 9/11.Wendy C. Carter

AVweb Responds:

I misspoke when I said the Washington ADIZ is on the charts. The FRZ is; the ADIZ isn’t, even though there is a graphic of bothon our Web site. My mistake was unintentional.

William Shumann
FAA Spokesman

Oshkosh vs. AOPA at PHL

Mr. Bemiss implies (AVmail, Nov. 9) that the PHL controllers could learn a thing or two from the Oshkosh fly-in. I am sure that the PHL controllers wish that they had the waivers-to-separation that are enjoyed at Oshkosh. Not to mention that the quasi-approach control at FISKE is a VFR-only sequencing tool (no separation). The comparison is apples to oranges. Not to mention that in PHL you are trying to fit in with a lot of other traffic in the area. Oshkosh doesn’t have quite that problem.Scott H. Voigt
NATCA Southwest Region
Safety and Technology Chairman


Bob Hope Airport

With due respect to Mr. Bob Hope …Other than using the Burbank Airport, what did he do to warrant a name change (NewsWire, Nov. 10)? Did he donate money to aviation to support its growth, its future, or any of the things that make aviation what it is? Was he buried across the street where many famous aviators are interred?How about naming it Lockheed Airport, Kelly Johnson Airport, or even Amelia Earheart Airport (since they have a statue of her in Burbank)?Martin Winger


Help for GA

Why has it taken so long to get help for GA — too little and too late to help most GA businesses (NewsWire, Nov. 13)? We will continue to see GA suffer and die unless some kind of help is offered. I have spent hours writing my congressmen and senators asking for help. All (not most) of them basically told me they did not care. Good Luck!I have closed my business, never to open again.Bill High


Most Overpaid

What do you mean that a mechanic gets to “remain safely on the ground” (NewsWire, Nov. 13)? As a mechanic for a major cargo airline, I can’t tell you how many times I was sent out of town to fix a plane that would become my ride back home! We fly on what we fix much more than you realize. And I don’t know many mechanics who value other’s safety any less than their own!Tim Morton


I would like you to correct your article. I work for American Eagle and some of our First Officers with families are eligible for food stamps. Major airline pilots may be overpaid, but regional airline pilots are significantly underpaid.John W. Schoen


American Airlines Flight 587

We did not say anything about testing a “bolt” (NewsWire, Nov. 13). We are testing composite lugs. The bolts on American Airlines Flight 587 remained in their positions throughout the accident sequence.Ted Lopatkiewicz
Director of Public Affairs, NTSB

AVweb Responds:

When we tried to call to clarify what parts were being tested, your office was closed for the holiday. We did get the “bolt” word from other news reports and felt it was more descriptive, though of course if it’s incorrect then that’s not very helpful. Thanks for correcting us.

Mary Grady
Senior News Editor

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