Of course, the alphabet groups wasted no time in denouncing the FAA’s plan to introduce the ADIZ NPRM. The beans were spilled by vice president for system operations at the FAA, Linda Schuessler, during a grilling at a congressional hearing into the communications mix-up that created panic in Washington on June 9 and very nearly cost Kentucky its governor. In a release, EAA said the existing ADIZ arrangement offers flexibility and can be changed with relative ease. Once it’s etched in legislative stone, any changes will have to go through a lengthy rulemaking process. Also, once the ADIZ rule is adopted, getting rid of it in the future will be much more difficult. “There is absolutely no need to make this ADIZ permanent,” said EAA’s government rep Earl Lawrence. “It would not add a shred of extra security for the country and would further discriminate against general aviation.” AOPA President Phil Boyer said rather than making the ADIZ permanent, the government should scrap it. “The 15 nm no-fly zone that was put in place shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks provided adequate security for the nation’s capital before the Iraq war when the ADIZ was imposed and it would do so again,” he said. Boyer said the ADIZ has crippled many of the businesses at 19 airports within its boundaries and making it permanent would mean the end of many.
…Not According To The Alphabets…
Key Takeaways:
- Aviation alphabet groups, including EAA and AOPA, are strongly denouncing the FAA's plan to introduce a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to make the Washington D.C. Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) permanent.
- Opponents argue that making the ADIZ permanent would not enhance security, would discriminate against general aviation, and would severely impact businesses at 19 airports within its boundaries.
- They contend that the current ADIZ arrangement offers necessary flexibility, whereas a permanent rule would be difficult to change or remove in the future.
- AOPA suggests the government should scrap the ADIZ entirely and revert to the pre-Iraq War 15 nm no-fly zone, which they believe provided adequate security.
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