Posted on 05/23/2005 3:24:13 PM PDT by kristinn
WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C. just broke in with a report that a small plane is being escorted out of D.C. restricted air space. This does not appear to be of the same threat level as the plane scare two weeks ago. The fighter jets flew over the area at a much higher altitude as before. However, they did make a lot of constant rumbling as they circled around the north side of D.C.
I live in Gaithersburg Maryland...about 20 miles from the White House. Those military jets were just over my house about 5 minutes ago.
It's probably just Howard Dean, whaahahahahahahahahaha!
I'm currently doing some work in the DC area and staying in Maryland. I just saw them pass by about 15-20 minutes ago. A small plane with two F-16s doing everything in their power to stay behind this guy. They were swinging wide and doing barrel rolls... pretty wild site.
Not again!?!?!
SE of DC, too. I just heard f-16s roaring around to my west, toward the Patuxent River.
Bump!
". . .two weeks ago."
Glad to see the Air Force guys are on the job.
I'm bothered though that the plan for keeping people safe in the nation's capitol is a lot of officals screaming "Run for your lives!"
Need to fix title...it was just Hillary running to Starbucks on her broom.
Aw heck, smoke the sucker. It's been a slow news day.
They were over the Colesville area heading north (away from DC) I believe they escorted him to the airport in Gaithersburg.
We're north of Gaithersburg a few miles. My eleven-year-old was crazed with excitement. He's in favor of having these alerts take place every few days so he can see the F-16s going overhead at about 8 feet of altitude (or at least, it sounds like 8 feet!)
Yes, how do they get that far? And how did Mrs. Bush end up in such danger? And the grenade? Who's in charge here?
I heard them, but it was a few minutes before I saw anything. I didn't see the barrel rolls, I just saw one of the fighters at a high altitude heading north.
Britt Hume reporting on this now.
Apparently a "shot was fired to get the pilot's attention."
A few of us were sitting at dinner and we heard the jets approaching. We all realized they were military at the same time and that they were up to something because the noise was fluctuating with each manuever. Some of the neighbors came outside out of curiosity when they saw us standing out there. I wondered how they would "keep up" with a smaller, slower plane such as that. Now I know. It was like watching an air show. Pretty cool.
Homeland Security considering shootdown authority for planes over Washington
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/terror/20050523-1433-downingaircraft.html
The Homeland Security Department is considering whether it should seek authority for its pilots to shoot down errant planes around the nation's capital like the one that came within three miles of the White House this month, according to an internal agency memo obtained by The Associated Press.
Putting the Coast Guard on air patrol duty in the Washington area could raise questions about whether Homeland Security or the Pentagon would give an order to use lethal force in an emergency.
Hundreds of general aviation aircraft mistakenly enter the restricted zone each year, and are steered away by Customs and Border Protection helicopters scrambled to intercept them. But Customs helicopters do not have authority to fire warning or disabling shots, while some Coast Guard aircraft already do.
Both agencies are arms of the Homeland Security Department.
The issue arose at a May 16 meeting of Homeland Security officials that focused on the brief scare this month when a lost Cessna flew into restricted airspace. The Cessna was intercepted by Customs Black Hawk helicopters and Air Force F-16 fighter jets before veering away – just as officials discussed shooting it down.
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I haven't seen any news about this plane yet.
Swell. One of these days a pilot's gong to end up with his little plane blown to bits.
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