Thu, Jul 26, 2007
A July Surprise At AirVenture 2007
ANN REALTIME REPORTING 07.26.07 1305 OSHKOSH (CDT)
TIME: The ADIZ isn't gone, but it is smaller. In what will
be her last "Meet The Administrator" forum as the head of the FAA,
Marion Blakey sought to placate general aviation pilots -- smarting
over the past several months from her apparent position reversal on
user fees -- by dropping a bombshell: the Washington Air Defense
Identification Zone (ADIZ) will soon be a lot smaller.
In response to public hearings and comments on the matter ,
effective August 30, the ADIZ will lose its current "Mickey Mouse"
shape, and instead revert to a circular zone, 30 nautical miles in
radius, centered over the Washington, DC VOR. The FAA will also
modify the Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ) to accommodate the Dulles
downwind, and the GA corridor between Fort Meade and
Gaithersburg.
"We did this because of your comments and positive
recommendations," said Blakey. "In my view, that GA corridor
previously was just too small for the volume of traffic moving
through it."
Blakey noted the ADIZ change frees up 33 major general aviation
airports, and 1,800 square miles of airspace. The revision also
lifts the fringes of the current ADIZ over Leesburg Executive
Airport in Virginia (KJYO.)
"Score one for GA. You were right on each count," the
Administrator (below) said. "This new ADIZ doesn’t diminish
security. It’s safer. And it’s one more example of the
FAA, Homeland Security, DoD and the GA community working together
to do the right thing. So kudos to you."
ANN will have a LOT more detail on the Administrator's speech
Thursday, including Ms. Blakey's response to what one audience
member (yeah, it was Jim) termed "the elephant in the room" -- user
fees. Stay tuned.
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