Three DC-Area Hostage Airports Find Some Relaxation of Constraints

Aero-News has learned that the 'DC-3' airports (College Park, Potomac, and Hyde Field, all in Maryland) will revert to restrictions more in line with the rest of the nation. The restrictions will go back to "yellow" from "orange," where "orange" has been in force locally for over a year.

Lee Schiek, manager of College Park Airport (CGS), told us, "FAA-ATC advised CGS at 2:15pm today [Wednesday] that the following changes in flight procedures will take place at 0600 local time, March 6, 2003:

1. The ADIZ [covering some 20 Capital-area airports] will remain until further notice; however, it is now 'squawk & talk' only, without [a requirement to file] flight plans. Also, some pattern work has been approved at ADIZ airports.
2. CGS (and the rest of the DC-3) will require NO on-site TSA procedures.
3. There is NO requirement for ANP screening for inbound flights.

SUMMARY:  CGS (and the DC-3) returns to pre-Orange procedures."

Perhaps the FAA is flexing its airspace-control muscles? A bit of a turf-war in the making? It was just Tuesday that the TSA's James Loy (above) "...explained that there were no plans to change the current restrictions," according to our own coverage of the event.

Repeat after me -- hmmmmmm....

FMI: www.tsa.gov, www.faa.gov