chat on Wash Post - 15 minutes left

a quote:

Columbia, Md.: Ms. Priest, You wrote that yesterday's incident was "another set back to -DHS' credibility from all the false alarms."

Not meaning to be contentious on a gray Thurday, but how so? The pilot made an error and then refused to respond to communication attempts, was finally diverted and landed safely, with no harm done to anyone. Guess I'm in the minority, but I don't see this as an embarassment to anyone but the hapless pilots.

Thank you for chatting. Sorry about your feet (and that poster's turkey sandwich).

Dana Priest: Here's an answer to a couple of you that responded to my DHS answer: These closures are hugely costly and they create a "crying wolf" syndrome. We've seen that from the color-coded alerts. Officials thought they were being helpful, but it didn't end up that way after so many oranges. It's almost a natural, psychological thing that sets in. That is why, after three years-plus, DHS is now considering alternatives to the color code. As for yesterday, it is surprising to me that the area could not have been reopened much quicker, that communications weren't better to alert authorities that the risks had passed. It took officials 36 minutes to go from Orange to landing the plane in Frederick. It took much longer for things on the ground to return to normal, on Capitol Hill, at least. Some people even were having trouble getting back into their work places.
 
another (apparently the chat is now done, darn it)

Sterling, Va.: So how much of an embarassment to Homeland Security was the small aircraft intrusion yesterday as it flew into very restricted airspace near the White House?

Dana Priest: Judging from the reaction of "officials" I was with yesterday, not only embarassment but also another set back to its credibility from all the false alarms.
 
I'm extremely glad to see this incident being perceived as a "false alarm" rather than a near-death experience. Perhaps that will help us in the long run -- "look at all the resources expended and wasted time and effort over nothing" rather than "look what almost happened."
 
Ron Levy said:
I'm extremely glad to see this incident being perceived as a "false alarm" rather than a near-death experience. Perhaps that will help us in the long run -- "look at all the resources expended and wasted time and effort over nothing" rather than "look what almost happened."
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Agreed. Perhaps there is a silver lining to this incident afterall.
 
Thanks Elizabeth. This is a good one...

Airpla, Neb.: Can we please start charging these pilots who fly into restricted airspace? I wasn't worried because I just figured it was another stupid pilot. But pilots should be held responsible for their actions. If you drive the wrong way down a one-way street, you can get a ticket, even if it was a mistake. If you run a stop sign because you didn't see it, you still can get a ticket. I suggest a $10,000 fine for violating restricted airspace. Either that or let's just shoot down the next plane that enters restricted airspace. I bet after that, pilots won't be making this mistake.

While I agree with fines, I sure don't see us shooting down errant car drivers. For that matter, we seem to exercise incredible patience with real criminals fleeing on CA highways regularly...wonder if the poster thinks we should blow them away immediately as a lesson for others to ponder? :rolleyes:
 
drhunt said:
While I agree with fines, I sure don't see us shooting down errant car drivers. For that matter, we seem to exercise incredible patience ...
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I was talking to my wife this morning when she was in her car. She was in Jacksonville; I was in Orlando. Suddenly, she said "Nuts, I'm going to get pulled over." We hung up. She called back in five minutes. The cop got her going 67 in a 45 zone. She cried and said "I'm-so-lost-and-I-have-to-get-downtown-and-I'm-late-and-I-don't-know-where-I-am..."

"Ma'am, I-95 is straight ahead. And the speed limit here is 45. Have a nice day."

If that had been a me, I'd have been lying on the pavement with my hands behind my head.
 
drhunt said:
Thanks Elizabeth. This is a good one...

Airpla, Neb.: Can we please start charging these pilots who fly into restricted airspace? I wasn't worried because I just figured it was another stupid pilot. But pilots should be held responsible for their actions. If you drive the wrong way down a one-way street, you can get a ticket, even if it was a mistake. If you run a stop sign because you didn't see it, you still can get a ticket. I suggest a $10,000 fine for violating restricted airspace.
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I wouldn't mind big fines for this when the error is due to ignorance, stupidity, or bullheadedness, especially given that 120-day suspensions haven't made enough impact on the problem. Of course, I also want to see some rationality to these, including NOT suspending pilots when their transponder fails inside the ADIZ, or the controller accidentally tells them to squawk VFR (and they still make that mistake from time to time), or something like that.

Either that or let's just shoot down the next plane that enters restricted airspace. I bet after that, pilots won't be making this mistake.
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Well, it might not be fair, but you can be sure the pilot won't repeat the mistake.
 
Are you saying that you're not as convincing Ken?;)
 
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