On Mon, 23 May 2005 16:55:44 -0400, "John T" wrote in
: :

Larry Dighera wrote:

In an effort to be extra careful, and wishing to avoid the restricted
area of Camp David during our flight, we over compensated by taking a
more than anticipated southerly route, which consequently caused us to
infringe upon the Washington, D.C., restricted zones.

That's one helluva diversion to avoid P-40.

Without a sectional of that end of the country, I have difficulty
appreciating the diversion. Could you describe it?

Although our radio
had been working during the flight, which we know, because we were
able to monitor other aircraft communications, we were unable to
communicate with the Blackhawk helicopter on the frequency indicated.
A helicopter crew member used hand signals to indicate a second
frequency option. We tuned to that frequency, identified our aircraft,
and requested further instructions. We received no response on either
of the indicated frequencies despite repeated attempts by both of us.
...
Once again, a helicopter appeared, whereupon we
were then able to establish two-way radio communication on the
original emergency frequency that we had been instructed by placard to
use by the first helicopter crew.

hmmm... Radio no worky-worky. Few minutes later, radio do worky-worky.
Operator error? Set the frequency in COM1, but transmit on COM2? Add that
to this gem:

Without more information, it's difficult to assign blame for the
inability to communicate. Certainly, your hypothesis is one possible
explanation, but I could think of others (like the F-16 flight-lead
involved in the Florida MAC November 16, 2000).

In response to the dropped flares, we made a 90-degree turn to the
right to a westerly direction. At this point, for the first time, we
were able to visually identify our location as being in a Flight
Restricted Zone (FRZ).

It took F-16s dropping flares for them to figure they should change
direction? It took them turning to the West to realize their location? I'm
sorry, but as much as I would like to see the ADIZ disappear and make my
flying life easier, these guys are not who I want to share my airspace with
if:
a) they can't figure out they're 15 miles inside restricted airspace;
b) they don't alter course after interception;

Agreed. The PIC was not competent.

c) they can't figure out they set the frequency in COM1 but are transmitting
on COM2 (speculation).

I've certainly done C, but that's probably the first thing I'd check under
those circumstances and I couldn't talk to them. Either way, the radio
didn't miraculously "just start working" so somebody flipped something in
the cockpit.

McDermott has been retained by Jim Sheaffer to
represent him in the FAA's investigation of this matter.

Good. He's going to need a good lawyer.

It's troubling to think, that those with authority to shoot down two
pilots were unable to establish radio communication with the
innocently errant flight.

For these guys to try pulling this "aw shucks, we're just a coupla country
bumpkins who got lost" is insulting. This was not an "innocently errant
flight". This was a *negligently* errant flight.

Agreed. The PIC was negligent, but he was apparently innocent of any
malice.

And nobody had authority to shoot anything.

Of course, that's not true. If the C-150 had gotten closer to the
White House, it would have been downed.

All ended well this time, but what of
future incidents? Will other pilots stumbling across the invisible
airspace boundaries be as fortunate, or will they suffer the fate of
the missionaries erroneously shot down over Peru?

Not even close in comparison. Nobody authorized nor requested permission to
pull the trigger.

Please cite the source of your assertion. Or is it just your guess?

Yes, the ADIZ needs to disappear, but this incident
showed "the system" worked

Define "worked". The inability to establish communications certainly
confirms that the system almost resulted in the death of two airmen.

(unfortunately, since this will probably bolster
various alphabet soup agencies around DC).

What is that supposed to mean?

It's difficult not to be hard on these two "pilots". They didn't realize
they were miles into restricted airspace, couldn't properly work their
radios, took great pains to avoid prohibited airspace a fraction the size of
the ADIZ, but did not opt to completely avoid the ADIZ by moving East a few
more miles.

You have provided no evidence that the C-150 pilots were at fault for
the initial lack of communication. It's pretty clear the PIC was
negligent, but he deserves to be heard before conclusions are drawn.

At *best* they showed extremely poor judgement. At worst, they shouldn't be
flying with navigation skills so poor they had to turn 90 degrees to
visually identify their position.

They embarrassed the rest of us.

Agreed. The PIC's mistakes do cast a bad light on us all.