On the morning of December 29, 2015, I was planning a flight in my flying club’s Piper PA-28-235 from Northwest Regional Airport (52F) in Roanoke, Texas, to Clark Field Municipal Airport (KSEP) in Stephenville. The idea was to have lunch at a favorite barbecue restaurant. I planned to depart 52F and land at Fort Worth Meacham International Airport (KFTW) to pick up my passengers and then continue on to KSEP. We would then return to KFTW later that afternoon. This would be my passengers’ first flight in a GA airplane.
I Learned About Flying from That: Change of Plans
Key Takeaways:
- A VFR pilot nearly violated an active Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over a college football game after an unplanned route change requested by a passenger.
- The pilot was unaware of the TFR despite an initial briefing, as his flight plans evolved unexpectedly mid-flight.
- The incident was averted only when the pilot, out of courtesy, contacted Air Traffic Control (ATC), who then immediately guided him away from the restricted airspace.
- The experience underscored the vital need for pilots to maintain constant communication with ATC, seek new briefings for altered flight plans, and stay informed about major local events that could establish TFRs.
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