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Key Takeaways:

  • Pilots can inadvertently violate airspace regulations, such as Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs), as demonstrated by a pilot's encounter with F-15s after unknowingly entering a TFR for the President.
  • The Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), managed by NASA, provides pilots with a means to report aviation safety incidents or inadvertent Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) violations.
  • Filing an ASRS report within 10 days of an unintentional violation grants immunity from civil penalties or certificate suspension, though the violation will still be recorded.
  • ASRS is a crucial program designed to encourage reporting of safety issues without fear of punitive action, thereby contributing valuable data for overall aviation safety improvements.
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The Friday before the Presidential election I was returning from Carrollton, Ohio, where I’d been involved in an FAA Aviation Safety Program. The weather briefing had indicated relatively good weather, including warmer than normal temperatures, so icing wasn’t going to be a concern. There was a possibility of fog and some low level clouds for the departure, but otherwise the briefing was routine. All except the TFR (temporary flight restriction) at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, directly on my course.

Even in good weather I usually file IFR so the controllers can help me stay honest. Nevertheless, I do try to be aware of where the TFRs are in case I have to deviate or I’m misguided by a controller. The effective time of the TFR was late enough in the day that it shouldn’t have been a problem. The TFR was from the ground to 3,000 feet within three nautical miles of some lat/long position and then it migrated a couple clicks down the road and then back again to its original position.

FLYING Staff

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