Coordinated Flight: Editor’s Log 05/05

One of the things about aviation that never ceases to amaze is the professionalism with which most participants try to treat each other. There are always exceptions, of course, but most people involved in this industry seem to enjoy themselves and work hard to do their jobs well and help others. Until a recent flight in the Washington, D.C., area where I base, I would have put the men and women of ATC in that category.

The bubble burst for me one clear, windy Saturday in February. I base my Debonair at the Manassas, Va., airport (HEF), a towered facility nestled completely within the Washington Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). I’ve been flying from HEF since 1978, and I’ve watched...