S76 PLT ENTERED DC ADIZ WITHOUT CLRNC OR A DISCRETE XPONDER CODE.

Narrative

THIS PROB OCCURRED BECAUSE OF A MISUNDERSTANDING AND IMPROPER ASSUMPTION ON THE PART OF THE PLT (ME). MY FLYING IS ALMOST ALL DONE IN THE LCL CONNECTICUT/NYC AREA. WHEN I HEARD THAT THE ADIZ WAS NO LONGER IN EFFECT; I ASSUMED THAT THIS WAS NATIONWIDE AND NOT JUST APPLICABLE TO NY. TODAY WE HAD TO DELIVER AN ACFT TO A MILITARY BASE. SINCE RECEIVING PPR (PRIOR PERMISSION REQUIRED) FOR THE CHASE ACFT TO BRING BACK THE CREW WAS TO TAKE AN INDETERMINATE TIME; WE ELECTED TO LAND AT ST MARY'S; MD AND PICK UP THE CREW THERE. THIS WAS DONE; THE RTE HAVING GONE SMOOTHLY THROUGH A FORMER ADIZ AIRSPACE. ON THE WAY BACK WE WERE TO PICK UP ANOTHER PLT WHO HAD DELIVERED AN ACFT TO READING; PA. WE TOOK THE MOST DIRECT RTE WHICH AVOIDED RESTR AREAS AND THE WASHINGTON CLASS B; BUT BECAUSE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED MISCONCEPTION; FLEW WELL UNDER THE EASTERN KEYHOLE SECTION OF THIS CLASS B; WHICH; IF THE ADIZ WERE NOT IN EFFECT; WOULD HAVE A FLOOR OF 4500 FT. HAD WE KNOWN WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE DETOURED AROUND THIS SECTION AS IT WOULD HAVE ADDED NOT MORE THAN TWO MINS TO THE FLT. THE ERROR WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL WE RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THE TWR AT READING TO CALL A TELEPHONE NUMBER WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE CUSTOMS. THIS INCIDENT UNDERSCORES THE NECESSITY TO TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED IN THESE DAYS OF HEIGHTENED SECURITY EVERYWHERE. THIS APPLIES EVEN MORE SO IF FLYING OUT OF THE FAMILIAR FLYING AREA.