ADIZ Violation Explained in AOPA Magazine

The current issue of AOPA Pilot has a fascinating article about the two
pilots (one certificated, one student) who penetrated the Washington ADIZ
last spring, and brought the wrath of the government down upon us all.

What struck me was the entirely casual way in which it all happened. Troy
Martin (the student) and Jim Sheaffer (the 70 year old pilot -- NOT a flight
instructor, as some had reported) had met completely by chance at an airport
function, and become friends just a week before the flight. Martin had 30
hours of training, and was coming up on his long cross-country flights -- so
when he heard that Sheaffer was planning a long flight from their base in
Lancaster, PA to a North Carolina fly-in, he inquired about tagging along.

Thus began the most atrociously influential ADIZ bust since 9/11.

It truly was a comedy of errors in many ways. Thanks to the stupid AD
against allowing cigarette lighters in Cessna 150s, the lighter had been
disconnected in the rental plane they flew. Without on-board power,
Sheaffer left his GPS in the truck. They didn't get a weather briefing
because of construction in the terminal building that prevented them from
getting into the lounge where the phone was located. The weather was CAVU,
so they just skipped it.

Then the helicopter that initially intercepted them could not communicate on
civilian frequencies, so our wayward pilots didn't know what they wanted
them to do. A simple "Follow me" sign would have solved the problem almost
instantly -- but the crew in the Blackhawk had no such sign.

Finally, the F-16s that intercepted them broke off in two different
directions in front of the 150. If they had broken in the *same* direction,
Martin (who was flying) would have followed them. But they didn't, and he
didn't know what to do, or which way to turn.

Of course, the most incredible thing of all is that Sheaffer (the
certificated one) simply didn't know there was an ADIZ over Washington. He
was clearly not an active pilot (among other things, he was busted for
carrying a passenger more than 90 days after his last flight, and it had
been 20 years since his last cross-country flight), and he clearly hadn't
been following events since 9/11. It's hard to feel sorry for such
ignorance -- especially when it harmed us all so severely -- but I found
myself thinking about all the 70 year-old pilots that hang out at my
airport, and I realized that it could have easily happened to many of them.

Strangely, when I was a student I made an almost identical flight with an
older pilot. He was not a very active pilot, and -- although we didn't
manage to get *too* lost -- he clearly wasn't on the navigational ball, any
more than Sheaffer was. Of course, my flight took place in Wisconsin, in
the pre-9/11 world, and the worst thing that happened to us was "kissing"
the edge of Class D before realizing where we were. No harm, no foul, for
us.

Not so for these guys -- or all you folks back east.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote:
A simple "Follow me" sign would have solved the problem almost
instantly -- but the crew in the Blackhawk had no such sign.

They should have flown a code flag Lima.

"Jay Honeck" wrote
-- but I found myself thinking about all the 70 year-old pilots
that hang out at my airport, and I realized that it could have
easily happened to many of them.

Now..now..Jay, Being 70 years old doesn't equate to being a
"dumb****".

Bob Moore 70+

There are informed 70 year olds and un-informed 70 year olds. Could
have just as easily happened to some cocky 30 year old.
--
Gene (70 is only 15 away) Seibel
Hangar 131 - http://pad39a.com/gene/plane.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.

Roy Smith wrote:
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

A simple "Follow me" sign would have solved the problem almost
instantly -- but the crew in the Blackhawk had no such sign.


They should have flown a code flag Lima.
OK. I'll bite. Please explain.

Stubby wrote

Roy Smith wrote:
They should have flown a code flag Lima.

OK. I'll bite. Please explain.

Roy should have said "signal flag Lima" a Navy flag signaling
that "I am maneuvering with difficulty, stay clear".

Bob

In article ,
Stubby wrote:
Roy Smith wrote:
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

A simple "Follow me" sign would have solved the problem almost
instantly -- but the crew in the Blackhawk had no such sign.


They should have flown a code flag Lima.
OK. I'll bite. Please explain.

It means "Follow me"

In article ,
Bob Moore wrote:
Stubby wrote

Roy Smith wrote:
They should have flown a code flag Lima.

OK. I'll bite. Please explain.

Roy should have said "signal flag Lima" a Navy flag signaling
that "I am maneuvering with difficulty, stay clear".

Bob

Actually I had in mind the *chopper* flying Lima. I thought it meant
"Follow me". At least it does in yacht racing :-)

(Roy Smith)wrote

Actually I had in mind the *chopper* flying Lima. I thought it
meant "Follow me". At least it does in yacht racing :-)

Yep! I screwed that one up. I gave the meaning for "Delta"'
Sorry :-(

Bob

I have 0 sympathy for either of these guys. Since when is a GPS required
for VFR navigation? What happened to learning how to read a map and looking
out the window? Makes you really question a system where you get your
pilots license and you are good to go for life. Maybe there should be some
periodic retest to make sure people still have the skills they need or have
learned about new stuff that didn't exist when they first got their license.

Mike Schumann

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:vzvuf.457464$084.400527@attbi_s22...
The current issue of AOPA Pilot has a fascinating article about the two
pilots (one certificated, one student) who penetrated the Washington ADIZ
last spring, and brought the wrath of the government down upon us all.

What struck me was the entirely casual way in which it all happened. Troy
Martin (the student) and Jim Sheaffer (the 70 year old pilot -- NOT a
flight instructor, as some had reported) had met completely by chance at
an airport function, and become friends just a week before the flight.
Martin had 30 hours of training, and was coming up on his long
cross-country flights -- so when he heard that Sheaffer was planning a
long flight from their base in Lancaster, PA to a North Carolina fly-in,
he inquired about tagging along.

Thus began the most atrociously influential ADIZ bust since 9/11.

It truly was a comedy of errors in many ways. Thanks to the stupid AD
against allowing cigarette lighters in Cessna 150s, the lighter had been
disconnected in the rental plane they flew. Without on-board power,
Sheaffer left his GPS in the truck. They didn't get a weather briefing
because of construction in the terminal building that prevented them from
getting into the lounge where the phone was located. The weather was
CAVU, so they just skipped it.

Then the helicopter that initially intercepted them could not communicate
on civilian frequencies, so our wayward pilots didn't know what they
wanted them to do. A simple "Follow me" sign would have solved the
problem almost instantly -- but the crew in the Blackhawk had no such
sign.

Finally, the F-16s that intercepted them broke off in two different
directions in front of the 150. If they had broken in the *same*
direction, Martin (who was flying) would have followed them. But they
didn't, and he didn't know what to do, or which way to turn.

Of course, the most incredible thing of all is that Sheaffer (the
certificated one) simply didn't know there was an ADIZ over Washington.
He was clearly not an active pilot (among other things, he was busted for
carrying a passenger more than 90 days after his last flight, and it had
been 20 years since his last cross-country flight), and he clearly hadn't
been following events since 9/11. It's hard to feel sorry for such
ignorance -- especially when it harmed us all so severely -- but I found
myself thinking about all the 70 year-old pilots that hang out at my
airport, and I realized that it could have easily happened to many of
them.

Strangely, when I was a student I made an almost identical flight with an
older pilot. He was not a very active pilot, and -- although we didn't
manage to get *too* lost -- he clearly wasn't on the navigational ball,
any more than Sheaffer was. Of course, my flight took place in Wisconsin,
in the pre-9/11 world, and the worst thing that happened to us was
"kissing" the edge of Class D before realizing where we were. No harm, no
foul, for us.

Not so for these guys -- or all you folks back east.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"