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TFR Trouble

Russell Munson
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A pilot inadvertently violated a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) protecting Vice President Joe Biden, a mistake stemming from multiple oversights including failing to check TFRs for local flights and having an expired medical certificate.
  • Despite being completely forthcoming, the pilot faced severe punitive action, resulting in a 90-day commercial certificate suspension, illustrating the Secret Service's strict, non-educational approach to VIP TFR violations.
  • The author advises that in such situations, pilots should provide minimal information to authorities, immediately hire an aviation lawyer, and file a NASA ASRS report within 10 days to potentially mitigate penalties.
  • To prevent TFR violations, pilots must always obtain a thorough preflight briefing (e.g., call Flight Service, use online resources) for every flight, regardless of duration or familiarity with the area.
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(February 2011) — Joe Biden came to visit last Memorial Day weekend. I wish he had called first so I could have invited him for an airplane ride.

Sunday morning, May 30, was beautiful on eastern Long Island. You could almost see Ireland, and it was as calm as a lobster on lithium. On days like this pilots take to the air like hawks at mealtime. I did a quick weather check on the computer then drove to East Hampton airport, where my Husky lives. The plan was to fly along the beach around Southampton to check on erosion from the heavy spring storms, but mainly I was simply eager to roam the sky on such a day. Biden would have enjoyed it too, because I would be flying right near where he was staying, as it turned out.

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