[JYO] AOPA petitions FAA to restore general aviation access to D.C.-area airports

AOPA petitions FAA to restore general aviation access to D.C.-area airports 
restricted since 9/11/01

Oct. 17 — AOPA yesterday formally <A 
HREF="http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2002/021017petition.html";>petitioned
 the FAA</A> to effectively reopen 
airspace around Washington, D.C., to general aviation traffic. "Restoring GA 
access to the nation's capital is one of the last major post-9/11 airspace 
hurdles remaining," said Andy Cebula, AOPA senior vice president for 
Government and Technical Affairs.

The AOPA petition calls for establishing a waiver process that would allow 
transient traffic to use the "DC3" airports (College Park Airport, Potomac 
Airpark, and Washington Executive/Hyde Field), all located in Maryland, very 
close to Washington, D.C.

Currently under the special flight rule (<A 
HREF="http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2002/sfar94.html";>SFAR 94</A>) 
governing operations at 
those airports and within a 15-nm radius of the Washington Monument, only 
pilots who were based at those airports prior to September 11, 2001, and have 
undergone extensive background checks may operate from the "DC3" airports. 
And they are only allowed to make flights departing from the SFAR 94 area or 
returning to their home airports.

In its petition, AOPA is also asking that vetted pilots operating from any of 
the three airports be allowed to make flights to or from all three.

With the exception of random security TFRs, general aviation operations have 
largely returned to normal since the airspace shutdown 12 months ago. That is 
not the case in the Washington area, where SFAR 94 prohibits almost all 
general aviation operations.

"It is clear that unless AOPA's recommended changes to SFAR 94 are adopted, 
the three impacted airports cannot survive," commented Cebula. "The 
restrictions currently preclude flight instruction, fuel sales, charters, or 
any other business endeavor that would provide economic justification for 
investment or growth."

The association's petition notes that although SFAR 94 contained language 
suggesting that additional operations may be permitted after a procedural 
validation period, no effort has been made to open the "DC3" to transient 
flight operations since the SFAR was finalized in February of this year. 
Also, in spite of the fact that general aviation has never been used in the 
conduct of terrorist activities, it is the only segment of the aviation 
community restricted by SFAR 94.

AOPA will continue working to reestablish the economic viability of these 
airports and restore general aviation access to the National Airspace System

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