[Scan-DC] DCA Tower shutdown

[Charles Lawson]

Bob Jeter <bobjeter at verizon.net> writes:
>Airplanes circling DCA airport in the vicinity of the Capitol and White
>House and no one has questioned a security breach?

There wasn’t one.
>
>The non-standard traffic pattern should have raised some eyebrows,
>especially the first aircraft made a "go around" (pull up)

Airliners go-around at DCA routinely.  During a typical observing session
at Gravelly Point, I will see at least one go-around--usually because
someone didn’t clear a runway in time.

Commercial airliners operate at uncontrolled airports on a daily basis and
many (if not most) pilots get their primary training at uncontrolled
fields.  Pilots flying into/out of DCA are scrutinized very well and they
were under positive ATC control/surveillance at all times during this
occurrence.  The situation at DCA that night, while unusual, was hardly
dangerous.  Traffic was extremely light, then, and weather/visibility was
excellent. 

This was truly not a big deal and everyone in the media (and many in
government) have been way too inflammatory about the whole thing.  The
Chicken Little* mentality in the U.S. these days is what’s truly scary to
me.

Chas.

* A gentle version of the story: http://eleaston.com/chicken.html