[JYO] FAA ELIMINATES FLIGHT PLAN REQUIREMENT FOR WASHINGTON ADIZ

==> ATTENTION PILOTS <==

FAA ELIMINATES FLIGHT PLAN REQUIREMENT FOR WASHINGTON ADIZ

AOPA is sending you this message to advise you that the Washington Air 
Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), which covers a 30-nm radius around the 
nation's capital, will remain in place despite the national terrorist threat 
level being reduced. However, a new notam issued late this afternoon relaxes 
some of the requirements for operations within the ADIZ. AOPA has been 
lobbying security officials to rescind the operationally burdensome 
restrictions since the threat level was lowered from "orange" to "yellow" on 
February 27.

Effective at 6 a.m. local time tomorrow (March 6), pilots will no longer be 
required to file or activate a flight plan when conducting operations within 
the ADIZ, but must continue to establish two-way communication with ATC and 
obtain a discrete transponder code prior to penetrating the ADIZ. In 
addition, pilots operating out of the DC-3 airports (College Park Airport, 
Potomac Airfield, and Washington Executive/Hyde Field) will no longer have to 
undergo security inspections prior to departure or use the gateway airport 
upon re-entry to the ADIZ.

"Assuming there is a national security reason to maintain the Washington 
ADIZ, the requirements must be operationally transparent to pilots," said 
AOPA President Phil Boyer. "In order to make this happen, AOPA members must 
report any operational difficulties." As AOPA has done in the past, the 
association will continue to gather input on procedural problems. Please send 
information about such problems to AOPA at ( mailto:WashingtonADIZ@xxxxxxxx 
).

AOPA advises pilots to contact flight service for the latest information 
prior to conducting flights near ADIZ airspace.

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