Thu, May 12, 2005
Administration Officials Take Another Look At Allowing Biz-Av
Back At Reagan National
As late as last week, Congressman Sam Graves (R-MO) was
confident that Reagan National Airport in Washington would be
reopened to business and charter aviation. "I think Homeland
Security has signed off on it. I think we're very close to having
it open again for private aircraft. I'm very pleased about that."
Graves told ANN he thought DCA might reopen to GA aircraft within
"the next couple of months."
But after Wednesday's incursion deep
into the Washington ADIZ by a Cessna 150K -- an aircraft that came
within three miles of the White House before being turned away --
that sort of optimism has been all but dashed. "These incidents
should give pause to the whole question of reopening National
Airport to small planes," an administration official who spoke on
the condition of anonymity told the Washington Post. "Certainly a
high-profile incident does not help the case."
Wednesday's incursion forced the evacuation of the White House,
the Capitol and the Supreme Court. Government leaders were hustled
to undisclosed locations. Foreign dignitaries were whisked away in
armored SUVs and limousines.
"In light of significant security concerns about general
aviation in the national capital region, Homeland Security
continues to work to finalize a security plan for Reagan National
Airport," agency spokesman Brian Roehrkasse told the Post.
It's the sort of talk that frustrates general aviation and
business aviation advocates.
"I'm sometimes the unluckiest guy on the planet," NATA President
Jim Coyne told the Washington newspaper. "The people who have a
hysterically overcautious mind-set have got us to where we are
today. That cautiousness is clearly going to be fostered by this
incident."
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