General aviation to return to Reagan National Joe Coombs Staff Reporter General aviation is one step closer to returning to Reagan National Airport now that the Department of Homeland Security has approved new security measures to allow a limited number of charter operations and corporate flights at the airport. Recent Company News ? Dulles International Airport ? National Business Aviation Association ? Reagan National Airport Latest News ? Park Hyatt's $24M redesign puts 250 employees out of work in August ? General aviation to return to Reagan National ? Members of D.C. medical malpractice taskforce named ? Approva goes after federal customers ? Cox speeds up Internet service in N.Va. More ? Companies in the News ? People in the News Homeland security officials still have to issue a final set of rules, but general aviation flights would return about 90 days following the plan's approval. Among the measures approved Wednesday are advanced registration of operators and crews doing business at Reagan National, submission of passenger and crew manifests 24 hours before a flight and the presence of a law enforcement officer on each flight. At the time general aviation was suspended at Reagan National after 9/11 there were 660 such flights taking place each day at the airport. Under the homeland security plan, 48 general aviation flights would be allowed daily at Reagan National as a starting point. A study commissioned by the National Business Aviation Association said that between September 2001 and March 2004, $1.3 billion in economic activity was lost at Reagan National in connection with the ban on general aviation. "This is great news for the business aviation community, the Washington region and the nation," says Ed Bolen, president of the national association. "The plan ... represents a significant breakthrough in our long-standing effort to promote access to airports and airspace for the general aviation community." Charter flight companies and corporations have used Dulles International Airport and other smaller airports in the region since general aviation was banned at Reagan National. Proponents of bringing the service back to the airport say it will save those entities money as well as boost the business of fuel companies, maintenance operators and others connected to the industry. ? 2005 American City Business Journals Inc. Roger EWROPS