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Despite
military patrols and tighter security, pilots have intruded into
America's protected airspace at least 567 times between April 5,
2002 and September 11, 2001, highlighting the continuing challenges
of thwarting a terrorist air strike. In each case a pilot wrongly
flew into one of the countries six prohibited flight zones, where no
planes are allowed, or into one of many restricted zones where air
traffic is limited because of sensitive military or nuclear
operations or special events. The post-September 11 incidents
include four commercial jetliners and one helicopter that flew into
the forbidden airspace protecting the White House, Capitol, and vice
presidential mansion in the nations capital. "Practically speaking,
by the time a violation is discovered, it is too late to do anything
to prevent a crash into the White House," former FAA security chief
Billie H. Vincent said. One pilot caught in Washington's Prohibited
airspace blamed air traffic controllers, saying they are so busy
they sometimes order flight maneuvers that send pilots into
protected airspace. "The D.C. Controllers are absolutely horrible.
Washington National is absolutely the worst place to fly into,
period." said Happy Wells, a 30-year veteran pilot from Oklahoma who
was cited in July 1997 for flying his charter plane through
Washington's Prohibited zone.
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Outside of
Washington, there are five other prohibited zones: President Bush's
ranch in Crawford, Texas; the bush family compound in Kennebunkport,
Maine; the presidential retreat at Camp David in Thurmont, Md; the
Pandex nuclear assembly plant in Amarillo Texas; and the area around
George Washington's home in Mount Vernon, Virginia. Elsewhere there
are numerous permanent and temporary restricted areas across the
country. Since many restricted areas are temporary, FAA notifies
pilots through a monthly publication. With the increases in the
number of protected airspaces in the United States, plus the fact
that some air spaces are temporary while others are permanent, it
would seem only prudent for America's aviation navigation system to
simply have navigational beacons that could automatically inform
pilots of their near proximity to such prohibited flight zones. That
is where the concept of the Phoenix 9-11 comes in.
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