On May 21, 2005 a new system of laser beams will be operational in Washington, DC. Bright red and green lights will beam up into the sky warning pilots to ‘stay away’.
Recently a small plane flew within three miles of the White House and politicians went scurrying in every direction. Tens of thousands of people rushed around in circles. President Bush was bicycling in the country. Dick Cheney took charge and ran away in a escort of limousines leaving first lady Laura Bush and Nancy Reagan in the White House basement.
F-16’s eventually showed up.
Cost for scrambling just one fighter jet is between $30,000 and $50,000.
Currently airplanes are not allowed to fly in the Air Defense Identification Zone - an area of about 2,000 square miles unless they have a special code (on most commercial airlines) and maintain radio contact with the FAA.
They are barred within the Flight Restricted Zone, about a 16-mile radius around the Washington Monument.
Airliners fly at about 500 miles per hour.
Smaller jets not much slower and some even faster.
An area of 2000 square miles might be about 45 miles by 45 miles.
Travelling at 500 mph an airliner is moving at about 8.3 miles per minute. It would be able to get to the center of the restricted zone within 3 minutes.
It took nearly 15 minutes to get a plane into the air to intercept the most recent stray towards the White House.
What are we paying for?
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