Three different private aircraft were intercepted by fighter jets over the weekend after busting the TFR over Camp David in Maryland.** **
According to NORAD, the command responsible for the air defense of North America, the first incident occurred on Saturday just after 12 p.m., when two F-15E fighters intercepted an unspecified general aviation aircraft in the vicinity of Camp David. The aircraft, which was out of radio contact, was escorted outside the restricted airspace where it landed without further complications.
Later that evening, two F-15E fighters intercepted a Cessna 210, which had also busted the Camp David TFR. And on Sunday, the incident was repeated again, this time by a Cessna 182.
Additional details of the incidents have not yet been made public, but the restricted airspace surrounding Camp David, also known as P-40, was expanded from its normal 3 nautical mile radius to a 10 nm radius due to a visit from President Obama over the weekend.
In response to the TFR violations, AOPA president Craig Fuller offered pilots these tips for flying in the airspace near Camp David.
Check out what happened to one experienced pilot when he ran into TFR trouble.
Also check out Senior Editor Stephen Pope’s article on the importance of checking for TFRs.
