A July Surprise At AirVenture 2007

ANN REALTIME REPORTING 07.26.07 1305 OSHKOSH (CDT) TIME: The ADIZ isn't gone, but it is smaller. In what will be her last "Meet The Administrator" forum as the head of the FAA, Marion Blakey sought to placate general aviation pilots -- smarting over the past several months from her apparent position reversal on user fees -- by dropping a bombshell: the Washington Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) will soon be a lot smaller.

In response to public hearings and comments on the matter , effective August 30, the ADIZ will lose its current "Mickey Mouse" shape, and instead revert to a circular zone, 30 nautical miles in radius, centered over the Washington, DC VOR. The FAA will also modify the Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ) to accommodate the Dulles downwind, and the GA corridor between Fort Meade and Gaithersburg.

"We did this because of your comments and positive recommendations," said Blakey. "In my view, that GA corridor previously was just too small for the volume of traffic moving through it."

Blakey noted the ADIZ change frees up 33 major general aviation airports, and 1,800 square miles of airspace. The revision also lifts the fringes of the current ADIZ over Leesburg Executive Airport in Virginia (KJYO.)

"Score one for GA. You were right on each count," the Administrator (below) said. "This new ADIZ doesn’t diminish security. It’s safer. And it’s one more example of the FAA, Homeland Security, DoD and the GA community working together to do the right thing. So kudos to you."

ANN will have a LOT more detail on the Administrator's speech Thursday, including Ms. Blakey's response to what one audience member (yeah, it was Jim) termed "the elephant in the room" -- user fees. Stay tuned.

FMI: www.faa.gov