Can I borrow the Cessna? It won't take long.

• Author: Peters, Charles
• Position: Tilting at Windmills - Private aircraft lobbyists - Brief Article

After a great tragedy, Washington's tendency is to announce tough measures designed to prevent a repetition, and then to steadily chip away at them under pressure from lobbyists. After 9/11, private planes were forbidden to use Reagan National Airport. The reason was that Reagan National is within seconds of the White House and the Capitol, which are, of course, prime targets for terrorists. Now, Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) has introduced a bill that will let private planes back in Reagan National.

The private plane lobby is strong, including not only the planes' manufacturers and the general aviation industry that services them, but also corporations with their private jets and private pilots, many of whom are influential members of their communities. Their argument is...