Last week, three small airplanes were intercepted by F-16s in the Los Angeles area as a result of busting temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) during President Obama’s visit to the area. These types of incidents remind me of why it’s so important to get the latest information available for each flight. I always call flight service for a preflight briefing in addition to getting a briefing online.
While TFR information is available online, the information is in many cases found separate from other information you should collect as part of your preflight briefing, such as weather and notams. It is unlikely that there will be any TFRs in the area, so after clicking on the TFR link 253 times with no TFRs reported, chances are that you’re occasionally tempted to omit this very important step. With a telephone briefing, this won’t happen since the briefer will tell you about any TFRs in the area.
There could also be pop up TFRs as a result of a forest fire or other unscheduled incident. These types of TFRs may not have been in the system when you received the briefing a home. In order to make sure that I stay out of TFR trouble, I give flight service a quick call within 15 minutes of cranking up the engine. It doesn’t mean I need to sit through a full briefing. I simply ask for an abbreviated briefing. The representative will only need a few details about the flight before he or she gives me the requested information and the duration of the call is just a few minutes. That’s time well worth spending to make sure that there won’t be any F-16s forming up on my wingtips.
But there are even easier ways to get updated TFR information. Some aviation apps, such as ForeFlight, allows for TFRs to be overlaid on VFR and IFR charts on the iPad. So as long as you have an internet connection, whether it’s wireless, 3G, 4G or perhaps you’re connected through the new portable Stratus box, you can have live TFR information displayed at all times. You just have to make sure that you have TFRs selected. An XM satellite weather link, whether it's linked to panel mounted avionics, such as the Garmin G1000, or a portable GPS unit, will also continously display updated TFR information.
Another way to avoid TFR trouble all together is by filing an IFR flight plan. The controllers will be in charge of your routing and you won't have to worry about flying into airspace you're not supposed to be in. With so many ways to avoid TFRs, there is no good reason to bust one.
The political campaigning that will happen between now and the presidential election this fall will most likely mean an increase in the number of TFRs in many parts of the country. And they will cost us taxpayers a lot of money. Let’s save some of it by being smart. Just think about the extra cost a TFR infraction incurs. First you have the cost of deploying one or several military jets. Then there’s the cost of possible litigation against the pilot that the government has to pay for. I have no clue what the cost would be, but it’s most likely staggering and certainly unnecessary.
So if you don't mind paying more taxes or risking your pilot privileges, keep flying without a proper briefing. Otherwise, make sure that you have all the current information before you start your engine(s). It will not only save us all some cash, but it will keep your pilot certificate safe as well.
All Comments
Oh Pia,
By far the best way to reduce the cost of TFRs is to stop creating them. Aside from TFRs for forest fires and air shows, the primary (only?) purpose they serve is to inflate the egos of our overlords, who can be assured that they are so important that the economy must stop when they are near, awed by their greatness.
Those same overlords who have sent young men and women to risk their lives overseas, apparently can't abide the fear evoked by a Cessna 152 at 30 nautical miles.
How about we talk about that?
Sorry, I disagree with that comment. The President deserves an enhanced level of security protection and that includes the airspace over his location. You don't think a Cessna 152 in the wrong hands would not pose a problem if flown directly into his motorcade? Maybe 30 miles is not the right number, I don't know. Nonetheless, there needs to be restrictions in place to protect him and other potential targets from any potential threat from the air.
Where to begin?
Yes, the President needs to be protected, and is entitled to security. Within reason. Aimed at realistic (and not just conceivable) threats. That are cost effective. And that don't send an inappropriate message about the President's relative importance - which is high, but not infinite.
- But, first of all, these things aren't just put up for the President. Take a look at a TFR map of the country and ask yourself how many places the President can be in at one time.
- Second, the overkill aspect is relevant: shutting down all the airspace over Los Angeles is practically a definition of excessive, unless there's a verified threat to the populace (a verified threat to the President is easily dealt with by moving him).
- Third, if someone wanted to go after the President, it's likely that a C152 would fall very, very far down their list of preferred methods: even if you could manage to hit the Presidential vehicle with the aircraft (not so easy, partly because you don't know the President's exact itinerary, partly because you don't know which of several lookalike vehicles it is, and partly because aiming a fast-moving vehicle at another fast-moving vehicle is hard). Even a near-miss would do little to an armored SUV. I'm not going to suggest any preferred methods, as I would probably miss the most effective ones, and I don't need to either encourage anyone or spent next summer in Guantanamo.
- Fourth, if the President needs to be protected in a manner that disrupts the people, the President also needs to act responsibly, and limit his impact by avoiding unnecessary travel to urban centers on private travel or for partisan political purposes like fundraising. Even if it is necessary for official functions, it's simply inappropriate to shut down 700 square miles of urban airspace for private goals.
- Fifth, given that TFR violations have always - ALWAYS - been inadvertent, simply making them smaller will make violations less likely, and policing less costly, in proportion to their area. A 10 nm TFR will have 9 times fewer violations than a 30nm one.
- Sixth, the phrase "there needs to be restrictions in place to protect him and other potential targets from any potential threat" can be interpreted so widely as to justify, well, just about anything. Where's the balance?
No, the original poster had it right. Do you really think anyone who's planning on flying an airplane into some VIP cares that there's a TFR around him? Since this stupid program began, can you tell me how many terrorist attacks on the prez have been averted? How about zero? But lots of otherwise law-abiding citizens have had their lives severely and unjustly disrupted by this airborne version of the TSA's notorious security theatre of the absurd that plays out every day at airports all over the country. (And no, I've never busted a TFR).
TFR's are an unneccessary waste of time, money, and resources and should be done away with now. Just like this stupid "Re-capture" image at the bottom of this page that forces you to squint at some ugly, blurry, distorted run-together letters and numbers and take a wild guess at just what the heck they might be before being allowed the privilege of posting a comment here. Hey Flying, is spam *really* that big a problem on your site? Seriously?
I was within 100 feet of landing at Winston Salem airport and the tower said the airport was now closed my clearance to land was not good anymore. Al Gore was in town for a debate the night before and he was going to depart the airport. I had to circle for 35 minutes waiting for him to leave the airport. There was a heavily armed C130 circling the area the entire time. I told the tower Al did not have to worry about getting my vote. All of the TFR stuff is overkill. Commerce grinds to a halt.
TFR's are a joke, for the most part. Let's not forget the $10,000 and hour for each F-16 at YOUR expense. Smoke and mirrors- illusion of "but at least they're doing something".
Example: My friend fishes in the Raritan bay in NJ. That's where the Earle ammo pier is where they load munitions on destroyers. He drifted too close to the pier one day and was met by an ARMED stealth boat and WARNED STERNLY to "evacuate the security area". Meanwhile, I routinely fly over the pier area when approaching the Hudson corridor. The only altitude restriction there is for the wildlife area of Sandy Hook. The actual ammo dump is a few miles north of Belmar- Farmingdale airport, also with NO flight restrictions. What security? Smoke and mirrors. "But, at least they're doing something". What a crock.
This whole thing is an EGO thing. There are several TFR's EVERY WEEK at New Castle in Delaware. That's because Biden flies up to Andrews to play golf with Obama. There's a TFR when he leaves, and one when he returns. (These golf games cost the taxpayer aboyt $1.000.000,00 a year). Biden headsthe committee on ELIMINATING GOVERNMENT WASTE!!!
I rest my case.
The man waiting for Gore to depart doesn't know how lucky he was.
I was based in BLM, Belmar, NJ. I was out a good part of the day and landed on my return. I was greeted on the taxiway, about 75 feet from my tiedown, by a jeep with two figures in it. The one figure got out and was wearing a smokey-the-bear hat. He came to the center of the taxiway and motioned for me to stop. The second figure emerged from the Jeep wearing a long trench coat. He stood adjacent to the Jeep.
I was told, "the President is coming in in a few minutes. You should leave and go fly around for about ten minutes". (pre-TFR days). I noted that I had no fuel (lie) and I pointed to my close tiedown. I related that I would be gone in ten minutes. After Smokey's short conference with the trench coat, I was permitted to go tie down. It took me twenty minutes under their watchful eye. I left and traveled to my girlfreinds house (7 minutes), rested for 10 minutes, took a shower (10 minutes, got dressed (5 minutes), watched TV (30 minutes), then we left for a restaurant. I told her what had happened and said we'd take Hurley Pond road past the airport, just out of curiosity. As I blew past the airport entrance, the powers-that-be were just then coming out with the roadblock horses to block the road. I just made it to Rte 34. NOW- do the math. 7+10+10+5+30.
It's a good thing I didn't go 'fly for 10 minutes', or my hour's fuel on board would've been gone. As for the president; I found out the next day it was really Gore. I guess he was important enough to put me in danger by being expelled from BLM. That's all Ego................... BIG E G O.
A private 747 with all sorts of counter measures and a fighter escort while in the air.
Armored cars, armed guards and snipers and helicopters overhead while on the ground.
That should be sufficient. Banning GA aircraft from the area is ridiculous.
Whether you like it or not, if you bust a TFR it's your own darn fault.
It's not like these VIP TFRs pop up 5 minutes before you're airborne.
Anyone ever heard of a briefing or checking NOTAMs?
I think most of you whining about how the president doesn't need this or that are just mad because he's not "your kind of guy".
You probably wouldn't be saying these things if he was "your kind of guy".
I couldn't stand the previous admin either but I had respect for the office. Respect for his safety. I don't agree with all the TFRs either but I deal with it like an adult.
