Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association president Mark Baker this week penned a letter to President-elect Donald Trump addressing the potential economic consequences of a temporary flight restriction (TFR) surrounding Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida.
In the area surrounding Trump’s Florida residence, a presidential TFR would affect six airports with a “total economic output exceeding $1 billion that create over 8,000 jobs and have a total payroll of $290 million,” Baker said.
“We respect and understand the security rationale for these TFRs when you are in residence or conducting official business,” Baker said. “We simply request that you and your administration consider the negative impact on jobs and local economies when implementing these restrictions.”
When the president-elect takes office in January, a presidential TFR will follow him wherever he goes, creating a no-fly zone within a 10-nm radius — effectively shutting down all general aviation traffic in the immediate area. A standard presidential TFR also requires all pilots within a 30-nm radius, from the surface up to 17,999 feet msl, to be on an active flight plan, squawk a transponder code and maintain two-way communication with ATC.
“We look forward to continuing to work with these agencies and your administration on this and other issues of importance to general aviation,” Baker said.
