Some dumbass buzzed the White House in a Cessna...

[Skorixor]

if you haven't heard about it yet, go to any newschannel or website

some dumbass took a C-152 without permission, then entered the 15 mile no fly zone, left, then entered again getting as close as 4 miles to White House...

the White House went code red, and evacuated, including supreme court and another building

the plane got chased by 2 fighter planes and a blackhawk chopper and forced to land in MD, where the dude was arrested on the runway (as sees on msnbc)

he was the only pilot in the plane, but it has been reported someone else was taken into custody, and I bet that was his flight instructor, who will get screwed big time as well

[X'an Shin]

Both the pilot and a passenger were in police custody.

MSN says there were two. They claim their radio wasn't working. But then their flying club didn't authorize the pilot to even leave.

They're toast. They should count their blessings they weren't shot down.

[Skorixor]

here's the dumb thing though

the white house has a 15 mile ring on it

now if I'm in my jet, my top speed (at ground lvl) is 1 mile every 10 secs
(1 mile = 6 secs at altitude)

you think they could evacuate in time?

[X'an Shin]

here's the dumb thing though

the white house has a 15 mile ring on it

now if I'm in my jet, my top speed (at ground lvl) is 1 mile every 10 secs
(1 mile = 6 secs at altitude)

you think they could evacuate in time?

I'd imagine that the AF Base there is tracking all incoming targets loooong before they breach the 15 mile perimeter. Anything deviating from a logged course to Reagan is no doubt flagged. Pre-emptive retort: And before any snarky conspiracy theorists bring up the Pentagon and 9/11, please reference the following google map and look at just how close Reagan Airport is to the Pentagon.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=washingto ... &t=k&hl=en

I'm still worried about hijacked jets...

[Skorixor]

yeah but what if the plane takes off from reagan airport, which is just a stone's throw from there...you couldn't scramble any jets in time

[Jabe Adaks]

yeah but what if the plane takes off from reagan airport, which is just a stone's throw from there...you couldn't scramble any jets in time

I bet Darth Vader in a TIE Fighter could do it...

Jabe

[X'an Shin]

yeah but what if the plane takes off from reagan airport, which is just a stone's throw from there...you couldn't scramble any jets in time

This would fall under hijacked jets.

I have no doubt in my mind that any plane parked at RIA has had its owners and pilots put through some of the most extensive secret background checks in the history of background checks.

[Isleh]

here's the dumb thing though

the white house has a 15 mile ring on it

now if I'm in my jet, my top speed (at ground lvl) is 1 mile every 10 secs
(1 mile = 6 secs at altitude)

you think they could evacuate in time?

I'd imagine that the AF Base there is tracking all incoming targets loooong before they breach the 15 mile perimeter. Anything deviating from a logged course to Reagan is no doubt flagged. Pre-emptive retort: And before any snarky conspiracy theorists bring up the Pentagon and 9/11, please reference the following google map and look at just how close Reagan Airport is to the Pentagon.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=washingto ... &t=k&hl=en

I'm still worried about hijacked jets...

Damn... I still remember it and seeing the Pentagon from the car a few days after.

When my dad worked there (Ragan National), all flights have to stay over the Potomac River below a certain altitude. I don't think the runway pointing at the Pentagon is used by any comercial flights.

I'm sure there are guns pointing in the direction of the airport. Zoom out one click and you bring into view 4 military bases excluding the Pentagon

East, Right across the river is Anacostia Naval Station, Fort Lesley J McNair and the Washington Navy Yard. A little futher east, right along the beltway is Andrews Air Force Base.

To the West, right across the main highway just past the Pentagon is Fort Myre

South is Fort Belvoir with Quantico just a little futher south.

North just past the beltway is the Naval Surface Warfare Center

[X'an Shin]

When my dad worked there (Ragan National), all flights have to stay over the Potomac River below a certain altitude. I don't think the runway pointing at the Pentagon is used by any comercial flights.

I'm pretty sure that the runway that points at the Pentagon is in fact the runway most commercial flights land on. If they need to stay over the Potomac, that's the only runway they could land on. Correcting course to the other N/S runway would take them straight over the top of the White House, and is probably too much of a course correction at low altitude. Skarr, weigh in on this, commercial pilot buddy.

Also, I don't know about Reagan for certain (as it's smaller and then there's the whole security/location issue), but it looks like it's got two long (passenger) and one short (private) runway. I think most airfields that have multiple runways like that have the big passenger jets land on whichever runway is pointed most into the wind on any given day. I know O'Hare's pattern is constantly on the move depending on which time of day/weather. Sometimes planes are landing from the East, and sometimes they're landing from the SouthWest. Other times, I've seen them take off due Southwest (meaning they're landing from the North/NorthEast).

Again, Skarr's the authority on this. Skarr?

[Skorixor]

ok, i'll put it this way, unless the runway is short, all the planes are going to land on the ones with the least crosswind

and no, no runway is not for commercial use at Reagan or whereever...the only thing that determines runway choice is length, and where the wind is coming from...

for actual reagan procedures I'd have to readup on my charts...my plane does not go there, but other AE planes do, so I have the charts...and all that crap is in my bag up in Chicago...

I'll get back to you on procedures, but I'm pretty sure that the runway you speak of, the one that points right at it, you basically have to turn IMMEDIATELY after takeoff or your in the prohibited area and are violated...it's basically an amendment to do a "not exactly safe" maneuver legally

[X'an Shin]

for actual reagan procedures I'd have to readup on my charts...my plane does not go there, but other AE planes do, so I have the charts...and all that crap is in my bag up in Chicago...

Seriously, don't post the procedure here. It's a public forum.

[Isleh]

for actual reagan procedures I'd have to readup on my charts...my plane does not go there, but other AE planes do, so I have the charts...and all that crap is in my bag up in Chicago...

Seriously, don't post the procedure here. It's a public forum.

Think it's all online anyway... My eyes glazed over though

http://www.metwashairports.com/National/nap/index.htm

[Isleh]

The plane then turned to the west and the warplanes escorted it to the airport in Frederick, Md., where the men aboard were taken into custody shortly after 12:38 p.m. The government decided not to press charges after interviewing the men and determining the incident was an accident.

"They were navigating by sight and were lost," Justice Department spokesman Kevin Madden said. The men were identified as Hayden Sheaffer of Lititz, Pa., and Troy Martin of Akron, Pa., who were on their way to an air show in Lumberton, N.C.

Time to get a new instructor

[Skorixor]

for actual reagan procedures I'd have to readup on my charts...my plane does not go there, but other AE planes do, so I have the charts...and all that crap is in my bag up in Chicago...

Seriously, don't post the procedure here. It's a public forum.

it's not private knowledge...you can go to any airport and pick up the approach plates and see them yourself

[X'an Shin]

for actual reagan procedures I'd have to readup on my charts...my plane does not go there, but other AE planes do, so I have the charts...and all that crap is in my bag up in Chicago...

Seriously, don't post the procedure here. It's a public forum.

it's not private knowledge...you can go to any airport and pick up the approach plates and see them yourself

True, but there's lots of things that are public knowledge that are still things that flag FBI searches.

Yes, I'm overly paranoid.

Or not paranoid enough?