3 ms·

I have a feeling the person who made the call was trying to intimidate him. I'm fairly sure no jet was being scrambled or anti-air was being aimed for a small p

• godshatter 4y ago
  We don't know what might have been going on at the White House at that particular time though. Was the President having a press conference, for example?
  • alistairSH 4y ago
    Doesn’t matter, DC has permanent restrictions (much smaller when this occurred, larger and more restrictive post-9/11).
• prewett 4y ago
  I hope they were scrambling jets, that's their job. I'm sure they assumed it was some mistake, but if it isn't, by the time you know for sure it is too late. I'm sure "scrambled" meant "pilots sprinting for their planes" and beginning the process, not that they have pilots sitting in warmed up planes ready to take off for intercept the moment someone crosses the restricted airspace line. The FAA caller was absolutely trying to convey that he was completely out of his depth, though. As is appropriate.
• alistairSH 4y ago
  Scrambling jets to intercept planes that wander into no-fly zones is a regular occurrence at DCA (the military craft usually launch from Andrews AFB, or possibly a local USCG station for rotorcraft). Not uncommon at other airports where POTUS is a regular, airports with other VIPs (NYC area), major sporting events (no fly around the Super Bowl stadium). DCA has a permanent zone, the others are temporary and communicated via NOTAM.