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FAA makes special flight rules around D.C. permanent - December 15, 2008 - 10:24pm
WASHINGTON (AP) - Airspace restrictions and procedures implemented around Washington after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks are now permanent.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced on Monday that a final rule issued by the agency makes the special flight rules permanent.
The secure airspace is made up of a pair of concentric rings consisting of a 15-nautical mile radius and 30-nautical radius around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Within the outer ring, pilots must file a flight plan, establish two-way radio communications with air traffic control and operate the aircraft transponder on an assigned code. But the inner ring is restricted to flights authorized by the FAA and the Transportation Security Administration.
The area is smaller than the Air Defense Identification Zone that went into effect in February 2003.
(Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
