I received the QAR response from Potomac Consolidated TRACON today. Essentially, when the Restricted Area South of Manassas is hot and Dulles is landing north, this creates an operational problem for PCT. As such, they would prefer that no one follow the route we intended to fly, even remaining below the Dulles Class B.
I protested that Class E airspace is for everyone. The sentiment of the QAR representative was that we were better off and that PCT provided us a service that was in our best interest as well. It was further suggested that had we continued into the ADIZ along the intended route, we could have created a workload issue because of the number of point outs needed to IFR aircraft on Dulles final. In turn, that could have made it necessary to stop servicing ADIZ requests. The QAR will be reminding controllers not to issue headings to VFR aircraft, but frankly I was glad that we were given exact instructions.
The good news is that since the FAA will now be acting PIC for any flight into or out of the ADIZ that I make, I am thinking that maybe I don't have to meet currency requirements or carry my license.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Post Holly Run... A-Foul
Yesterday, December 3rd was the annual Holly Run to Tangier Island (TGI). Jason, Robby and I stopped for fuel, lunch and to meet a friend at Hummel (W75). We also filed our VFR ADIZ flight plan. We took off and flew up the Northern Neck at 2500’ to stay under the 40 knot winds aloft.
Approaching BRV, our filed entry point, we contacted Potomac Approach to obtain our squawk code. We had been having difficulty raising Potomac because the Garmins were over-autosquelching ATC communications and apparently we were too low to get through. When we finally got through after trying three frequencies, we were swicthed to the correct frequency (which was not the one published). We were 6nm southeast from BRV. We continued northbound to enter the ADIZ.
We had planned to fly east of the MOA and restricted areas, above Quantico at 3000, continue north and then northwest under the outer ring of the class B, and south of Manassas (HEF).
We were then instructed that the Restricted Area 6608 was hot and that Dulles was landing north, and that we were to fly west of the Restricted area. The original intention had been to request a BARIN1 STAR transition at 2500 feet. Given the pre-emptive instructions, I knew intuitively that request was going to be rejected.
I replied that we intended to fly east of the restricted area, remain below the Class Bravo and over fly Manassas.
(See graphic of the flight plan.)
The controller responded that we were to “Turn to a heading of 300, remain west of the restricted area, Dulles is landing north and there are too many airplanes in the vicinity of Manassas … you are aren’t going to over fly Manassas.”
At that point I made the command decision that any continued discussion on the plan was not in anyone’s best interest. I replied, “Turning left 300, wilco.” There would be time to hash this out in a more appropriate venue. We flew through the MOA, which is something I prefer to avoid as well, but we were given a heading we were going to fly it.
I contemplated having the tape marked, but the controller was also dealing with an aircraft south of Stafford with Mode C problems and who apparently needed recurrent IFR training to refresh his understanding of procedures and IFR communication protocols. I didn’t see any point in further exacerbating the situation – I noted the time and frequency and we continued the flight.
Approaching BRV, our filed entry point, we contacted Potomac Approach to obtain our squawk code. We had been having difficulty raising Potomac because the Garmins were over-autosquelching ATC communications and apparently we were too low to get through. When we finally got through after trying three frequencies, we were swicthed to the correct frequency (which was not the one published). We were 6nm southeast from BRV. We continued northbound to enter the ADIZ.
We had planned to fly east of the MOA and restricted areas, above Quantico at 3000, continue north and then northwest under the outer ring of the class B, and south of Manassas (HEF).
We were then instructed that the Restricted Area 6608 was hot and that Dulles was landing north, and that we were to fly west of the Restricted area. The original intention had been to request a BARIN1 STAR transition at 2500 feet. Given the pre-emptive instructions, I knew intuitively that request was going to be rejected.
I replied that we intended to fly east of the restricted area, remain below the Class Bravo and over fly Manassas.
(See graphic of the flight plan.)
The controller responded that we were to “Turn to a heading of 300, remain west of the restricted area, Dulles is landing north and there are too many airplanes in the vicinity of Manassas … you are aren’t going to over fly Manassas.”
At that point I made the command decision that any continued discussion on the plan was not in anyone’s best interest. I replied, “Turning left 300, wilco.” There would be time to hash this out in a more appropriate venue. We flew through the MOA, which is something I prefer to avoid as well, but we were given a heading we were going to fly it.
I contemplated having the tape marked, but the controller was also dealing with an aircraft south of Stafford with Mode C problems and who apparently needed recurrent IFR training to refresh his understanding of procedures and IFR communication protocols. I didn’t see any point in further exacerbating the situation – I noted the time and frequency and we continued the flight.
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