Story ID: 
GA Flights Finally Resume at DCA 
By: Gordon Gilbert
Caption: In what Rep.
Word Count: 163
In what Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) called a “giant first step” in reopening Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to general aviation, a Hawker 1000 operated by New World Jet for Jet Aviation landed this morning after flying to the nation’s capital from Teterboro Airport (TEB) in New Jersey. After the jet taxied to Signature Flight Support, the first passenger to debark was National Air Transportation Association president Jim Coyne, who with NBAA spearheaded the drive to return general aviation to DCA after a four-year absence following 9/11. Initially, 48 GA flights will be permitted each day, compared with some 122 a day in 2000. Although Coyne called the flight “perfect,” he lamented that he was required to be at TEB two hours in advance of departure. He added, “It’s not as perfect as we want it to become in the future.” Among the requirements for using DCA are screening and inspection of crew, passengers, baggage and aircraft, and carrying an armed security officer on board.