It was really close...

"Denny" wrote in message

Now they are willing to kill people who get lost and cross invisible
lines in the sky so that the powerful and the politically connected can
feel safe...

So...refresh my memory. How many people were killed in this incident?

-c

Montblack wrote:
So, where do "the other" bullets go? You know, the ones that miss their
target?


What goes up must come down. Somewhere.




--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE

"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" wrote in message
om...
What goes up must come down. Somewhere.

The technical term for that is, "GRAVITY SUCKS"...

The plane was already 15 miles in a 30 mile zone when the F 16 took off
and was only 3 miles out when intercepted. If this was a terrorist
piloted airliner from Reagan National, takeing a northbound left turn
instead of right. The WH or capitol would be toast.

"Sport Pilot" wrote in message
oups.com...
The plane was already 15 miles in a 30 mile zone when the F 16 took off
and was only 3 miles out when intercepted. If this was a terrorist
piloted airliner from Reagan National, takeing a northbound left turn
instead of right. The WH or capitol would be toast.

The F-16s weren't the only line of defense, just the first. There are also
patriot missile batteries and other SAM installations.

It turns out the first line of defense got the job done, and didn't even
kill anybody. I'm not exactly clear what failed except for the Cessna
pilot's navigational skill and the politicians' nerve.

On the other hand, we have the benefit of hindsite. All the people in the
capitol knew is that there was a red alert and that a plane appeared to be
coming directly at them despite rather obvious airspace closures. They
wouldn't have necessarily known whether it was a Cessna or a 747.
Personally, if I thought a 747 might be aimed at my building and mere miles
out, I'd run like hell too. I wouldn't run downstairs...that's where the
fuel leaks and the oxygen burns.

-c

Sport Pilot wrote:
The plane was already 15 miles in a 30 mile zone when the F 16 took off
and was only 3 miles out when intercepted. If this was a terrorist
piloted airliner from Reagan National, takeing a northbound left turn
instead of right. The WH or capitol would be toast.

Yes, but the TSA/HSA/SS believe that they have put adequate security
precautions in for htat. National departing passengers are subject
to additional screening, and the pilots are specially trained to
get the hell away from DC if anything (passengers standing up,
etc...) occurs. We've had a bunch of diversions to IAD of
DCA flights since 9-11.

The GA flights in the FRZ reqiure that the pilots get special security
checks and there are special procedures. When security level goes to
orange, this also incoming flights first to an outlying airport to
check the passengers and "cargo". Similar restrictions on depatures
are in effect.

Jay Honeck wrote in message ...
Officials Weighed Shooting at Errant Plane
By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer 37 minutes ago

Pentagon officials sought to play down the incident, saying the small plane
was not seen as a serious threat and did not come close to being shot down.

"The quantity of explosives that you can pack in a little Cessna is not the
quantity of explosives you see placed in these big truck bombs," Jenkins
said. "In terms of explosives, it probably could not do that much damage."


They could probably see the two adults sitting in that Cessna 150 as if flew
merrily along into the restricted zone.
I haven't done a weight and balance calculation on a Cessna 150 in a couple
of decades. How much cargo weight remains after putting two adults in the
front seats? is it 6 or 8 pounds?? That wouldn't allow for a very large
bomb. I can see why they decided that the plane wasn't much of a threat.

"Ted" wrote
I haven't done a weight and balance calculation on a Cessna 150 in a
couple of decades. How much cargo weight remains after putting two
adults in the front seats? is it 6 or 8 pounds?? That wouldn't allow
for a very large bomb. I can see why they decided that the plane
wasn't much of a threat.

The maximum Takeoff Gross Weight limit for a C-150 is a legal limit,
not a physical limit. It is estabilished by the FAA as the maximum
weight that will permit a go-around at the maximum flap setting and
has nothing to do with the maximum weight that the airplane will carry
for takeoff and cruise. In fact, for the C-172, by restricting the
maximum flap setting to 30 degrees instead of 40 degrees, the maximum
Takeoff Gross Weight was raised by 100#.

Bob Moore
ATP CFI

The maximum Takeoff Gross Weight limit for a C-150 is a legal limit,
not a physical limit.

The physical limit isn't much higher. And you run out of payload
SPACE probably before you hit that...

You'll run out of ability to maintain level flight long before you
get to the structural limits.

Ron Natalie wrote:

The maximum Takeoff Gross Weight limit for a C-150 is a legal
limit,
not a physical limit.

The physical limit isn't much higher. And you run out of payload
SPACE probably before you hit that...

You'll run out of ability to maintain level flight long before you
get to the structural limits.


On a cool day a long runway and some patience the physical limit is
much higher. Don't know how much but I wouldn't be suprised if it
could be double on a winter day. Add a 150 or even a 180HP engine and
the physical limit is huge.