VKX closed.

triple7

triple7

Well-Known Member
Dont know if this has been posted but some sketchy stuff. ive heard different stories of what happened...but bottom line is TSA advised potomac tracon not to issue clearances to aircraft flying in or out of VKX. Rumour has it a "competing" airfield dropped the dime...who knows.

TSA Suspends Flights at Potomac Airfield
Updated: Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2005 - 5:27 AM

By STEPHEN MANNING
Associated Press Writer

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - The Transportation Security Administration on
Tuesday shut down flights at Potomac Airfield, saying the airport that lies
within restricted air space around Washington violated security rules.

Located in Fort Washington, Potomac is one of three airports for private
planes, known as the Maryland Three, that operate under extra security
provisions because of their proximity to the capital.

TSA spokesman Darrin Kayser said the agency had warned Potomac about
problems before and conducted a spot check this weekend. Potomac was sent a
letter Tuesday notifying it of the violations, a move that effectively
closed it to flights.

Kayser would not elaborate on what those violations were, nor would David
Wartofsky, Potomac's manager.

Following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the federal government
established 30-mile wide Flight Restricted Zone around Washington, an area
that includes Potomac, College Park Airport and Washington Executive/Hyde
Field.

Private plane pilots flying into those airports must undergo a background
check, file a flight plan with the Federal Aviation Administration, use a
special transponder code and stay in constant contact with air traffic
controllers.

Sporadic violations of that zone have led to jet fighters forcing down
wayward pilots who stray too close to the capital. However, many were lost,
and some pilots and airfields say the rules are too restrictive.

Wartofsky said he had exposed a "major flaw," which he wouldn't describe, in
the capital region's airspace security and had added an extra measure to
Potomac's rules to address the problem. He said the TSA shut down the
airport because it was unhappy with the deviation from its rules that apply
at the other Maryland Three airfields.

"I am trying to fix a vulnerability by implementing something through the
airfield's security plan that TSA has been incapable of addressing," he
said.

Wartofsky said he would fight the TSA decision, but wouldn't predict when
the airport would reopen.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved
 
I figured that would happen actually. It seems like all these airports around DC are doomed. The flight school there was hiring CFIs too and that was actually the closest one to where I live. The drive there was almost doable... Oh well.

Funny thing though, they expected their flight instructors to double as security guards for $10/hour at night. I wonder if the TSA found one of the CFIs, er I mean security guards sleeping on the job or something?

That was a weird airport though, its in the bottom of this Valley, trees everywhere and a tiny little runway. I couldn't believe it when I first saw it.

Wonder how the planes on the field will get out of there?
 
Sigh, they can't even get the names right. It is the DC3.

Anyway, it's just ridiculous. I flew out of there for a while, as well as Hyde. And every single time I flew in and out of there, I thought more and more about what a joke the regs were.
 
sheesh, the only thing more disturbing in this thread than the airport closure is the fact that you can actually LIVE in DC on a CFI salary?!? crap dude.
 
Tim, that place is real hard to find at night. Man, that was intense.

"Cessna 12345, do you have Potomac in sight?"

"Negative."

"Okay, it's at your 12 o'clock, about five miles. You've got the field lights on, correct?"

"Roger that, but we still can't see it."

"Okay, when you see it, you can go to unicom."

I swear a lot of times at night, you'd have to be right on top of the field to see it!

But it was a good test of your flying skills. The runway is about 2600 feet and it's 40 feet wide, with a displaced threshold on both ends, if I recall correctly. So you don't have a lot of room to play with. You learned very quickly why your instructor was screaming "centerline" at you and why you were told go around if you're not down by the first third of the runway.
 
Philip said:
sheesh, the only thing more disturbing in this thread than the airport closure is the fact that you can actually LIVE in DC on a CFI salary?!? crap dude.
Click to expand...

HA! You can't! We didn't make the move from Denver to DC fro a flying gig.

Since I left McAir in Denver I have questioned myself on a flying career more than ever. In fact, from what I have seen so far, if McAir wasn't my first flying experience, I am pretty sure I would have given up on the flying career long ago and be sitting behind some desk or something that makes money.
 
Timbuff10 said:
I am pretty sure I would have given up on the flying career long ago and be sitting behind some desk or something that makes money.
Click to expand...

There are a number of people in my flying club who kind of have the best of both worlds. They teach flying part time and they work a regular job. They really enjoy it.
 
There is a discussion on www.DCPilots.net that explains what happened. Apparently someone from another one of the other DC3 airports was over at Potomac and observed some of the required procedures were not being followed. He discussed the matter with the folks responsible for security at his home base and they felt they had no choice but to notify the TSA, who checked on the violations and found them serious enough to shut down the airport. What was the violation? Apparently in addition to the finger printing, background checks by the Secret Service then being assigned a secret code which you then have to use to file your flight plan every time you fly, you also have to sign in and out of the airport on a paper log. It seems some folks didn't sign the log, so the airport gets shut down.

They are apparently opening the airport over the weekend to allow people to ferry out their planes. VKX may be doomed, but hopefully common sense will triumph.
 
That is interesting at the end where it says that even though the White House supposedly has SAMs, none fired. I wonder if they really do have them set up to fire at anything that roams over there or if it is just a rumor. I am betting they probably have people there 24/7 that know how to use stingers (or some shoulder launched missile) and probably have them ready to go with a minutes notice but I bet if a USAir 737 on approach to DCA ventured a little too far over the river into P-56 the supposed mystery missile system wouldn't fire on it.

Is a Cessna 150 even big enough to be fired on by a missle? I thought the target either had to be so big so that radar could see it or it had to give off so much heat or something.
 
Timbuff10 said:
Is a Cessna 150 even big enough to be fired on by a missle? I thought the target either had to be so big so that radar could see it or it had to give off so much heat or something.
Click to expand...

And just think about the possible repurcussions of doing that. You shoot a missile at a C152. It misses, because there's not enough heat coming off the engine, and it goes right into the approach path to DCA, where it picks up the heat from a 757 and....
 
I visited Potomac Airfield a couple of weeks ago since I'm working in the area. I wanted to see the infamous DC3 and also see about maybe getting a flight review done (since the visit, knocked it out up at OKV w/ Valley Aviation).

Even though I was following the signs, it was hard to tell I was on my way to the airport driving through all the neighborhoods. Take down the signs, and no terrorist is going to find that place, let the pilots already based there stay and rely on local knowledge.

I was amazed though at the ease to get on the ramp, runway, etc. This was at night, just wanted to check it out, watch some planes maybe come and go (none did, quiet night), and I could have easily had my way with the place. There were two instructors inside I talked to about flying out of Potomac, a flight review, etc. but not quick to challenge someone walking around at night.

I figured there would be a fence around the place, and thought that would be the reason why the TSA wasn't happy with security procedures there. It did look like a nice small, quaint place to fly out of.
 
I did that too about a month ago, just figured I would check out the school and try and get a feel for it. Middle of the day, no one was a around for a while so I just went out and looked at a few of their planes. Basically did an external pre-flight on a few and no one said anything. I was kinda surprised no one questioned what I was doing there. It was around lunch time though?

It was pretty neat to watch a plane land there and then another take off on that short strip.
 
And the situation gets curious and curiouser. This is from Dave Wartofsky, the guy who runs the airport..

ARE YOU CURIOUS WHY POTOMAC GOT ZAPPED BY TSA?

QUESTION: How do you make a nazi?

ANSWER: you give small people rules they can lord over others, which makes them feel like big people.

TSA are NOT the small people in this, not at all, (believe it or not),

The TSA folks have always been courteous, professional, polite, and friendly; using JUDGEMENT.

The nazis in this case are certain persons at a nearby competing airfield who failed to use JUDGEMENT.

BACKGROUND - For over three years now, TSA would routinely drop by for an 'inspection' of the field, procedures, etc.

We've been doing that for four years, no problem.

As Potomac Pilots know, in addition to the funny airspace stuff, we use essentially the 'community watch' that USSS suggested years ago.

People keeping an eye on other folks they personally know, to make sure nothing untoward is going on.

One person designated to make a call to a certain place under certain conditions, merely to make sure the call gets made.

No, I was not meticulously checking peoples' drivers licenses, because at Potomac, we all know each other quite well.

Thus technically, while the TSA procedural speed limit was '55mph,' we were running at about 59 mph.

Technically over the speed limit, but well within the intent of the rules.

So what happened?

Element #1:

My ADIZ newsletter poked some serious holes in the ADIZ.

That set the inflammatory stage; but my opinions often do.

I thought that might 'draw fire. No real harm in that, sometimes drawing fire is a very good thing.

I'm trying to replace the ADIZ with something workable and effective, operationally, and politically.

But no good deed goes un-punished.

Element #2:

Our little friends at Hyde, outraged that I was not meticulously staying below 55 mph,

For example, by not checking the driver's licenses of people I've had to dinner,

Kept telling TSA that "Wartofsky is not following the rules like Hyde, so what is TSA going to do about it?"

Up to and including Hyde Field's'security coordinator' storming over to Potomac to lecture me.

No kidding.

(It is unlikely I will ever have him to dinner).

So Hyde's 'demands' to TSA essentially rubbed TSA's nose in well-meaning, poorly though out first-draft procedures, procedures even TSA has been stuck with because they lack the procedureal means to change it.

Hyde Field essentially coerced TSA to formally keep repeating to the MD3 airports that the posted speed limit was 55, i.e. 'facial recognition,' 'lists' etc.

Which of course shouldn't really apply to folks you've had to dinner, not in the real world.

Element #3:

About a week ago, one Sunday morning, at Potomac, someone from Hyde Field, because THEY didn't recognize 'someone standing around,' immediately reported 'there is no security at Potomac.'

The people who got the call knew it stank, but it was a recorded line to boot.

When I got word, I called the flight school, and initially got no answer.

I made another call and was informed that the fellow had been there since 8AM.

A bit later I called and reached him at the field.

No big deal... thinks I. He stepped out for a minute.

In fact, he told me he had the trots and was in the can.

SO HERE IT GOES:

The Hyde Field's call triggered about 7 inspections of Potomac by TSA in two days,

TSA just happened to come by when 'security person #1' had gone out for an short errand,

So the poor kid who had failed to 'identify himself' earlier to TSA,

..again didn't SAY he was 'security,' he said, quite correctly, he was a flight instructor.

And that #1 would be back in about 10 minutes.

So technically, while the kid WAS a 'security person,' he failed to identify himself to TSA.

So TSA annotated the file, 'no security persent #2.'

Next day more TSA inspectors, asking for a copy of our 'approved security plan.'

The last HARD COPY TSA ever signed being over 3 years old,

It was out of date, IT didn't show the new people, because it was a three year old copy!

The information they were looking for IS current SOMEWHERE ELSE, but those inspectors have no access to SOMEWHERE ELSE.

AND SO IT GOES SOME MORE: Once the machine gets spooled up, it keeps going.

Next, TSA came by, quite embarassed, with a notice closing us down for the above violations.

Can you see me getting pissed?

Potomac 'Violated' by Hyde Field weasels, because of their repeated coercing of TSA to narrowly apply the least effective of its its rules,

Because Hyde follows them to the letter. They 'have acces' to nothing else.

'Violated' agani because some Hyde weasel dropped a dime, because HE didn't recognize anyone Sunday morning. (The security guy was out as his tie-down).

'Violated' again because some poor nervous flight instructor forgot to say 'ASC' when TSA asked him what he did.

(I should have briefed the kid better, so that's on me).

Then violated again because TSA inspectors, unaware of other coordination tools in use by government agencies (wink wink), walked off with a three year old piece of paper; and couldn't find there everything going on for the last three years.

IT IS SOMEWHERE ELSE...

So what happens when I get pissed?

I questioned through Congress TSA's statutory authority for requiring THEIR signature on a PRIVATE-SECTOR program.

And I gave the EXOP a heads up; so now I suspect TSA is getting pinged all over.

TSA doesn't have signature authority, which is WHY they've never been able to sign anything since.

I think they want to do things, but they're caught between a rock and a hard place.

No big deal, recognize this as unexpected consequences of too much information in too many little boxes,

..keep everyone informed of what you're doing, ignore the catch 22 and move on.

Regardles, TSA closed Potomac.
 
Timbuff10 said:
Funny thing though, they expected their flight instructors to double as security guards for $10/hour at night. I wonder if the TSA found one of the CFIs, er I mean security guards sleeping on the job or something?
Click to expand...

I guess you could say I called it. My thinking was "I'm a pilot, not a security guard". If I'm not teaching people how to fly, I could be making alot more money somewhere else.

Looks like they should have dropped a few bucks on a real security guard/off duty police instead of trying to guilt the CFIs into doubling as a security guard. Seems like all the flight schools want their CFIs to do some other duty than fly so that the school doesn't have to hire someone to do the non-flying jobs. I guess it saves money, at least in the short term.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top