TFR over KPWM
This weekend I was planning to visit a friend in Portland, Maine, and it turned out to be such a beautiful Saturday that I could hardly resist. There was just one problem with the plan: the President was visiting his parents in Kennebunkport, which means all but shutting down almost 3,000 square miles of airspace in the form of a temporary flight restriction (TFR in the lingo).
The white part is the circle-of-having-F15s-scrambled-at-you
Permit me to digress in a way that, for most of you, should be entirely predictable: I have a real problem with this TFR. Quite apart from the fact that it inconveniences me as a pilot, I have issue with the idea that our leaders are being elevated so far above the people that they ostensibly serve, whether it’s closing down busy airspace, being exempt from parking tickets, or collecting large federal pensions and benefits. There’s a permanent one-mile no-fly-zone over the Bush compound that will probably remain in place until the end of time, and I argue that nobody is that important.
But until you elect me and I can do away with them (phik in 2016), the TFR was in place, so it was a good opportunity to learn how to operate within it. The TFR prohibits a very large number of useful and productive activities: all flight training, IFR practice, aerobatics, gliders, parachuting, ultralights, balloons, crop dusting and other farming, and banner towing are all prohibited anywhere within the 30-nm radius. Furthermore, there’s a 10-nm inner core no-fly-zone, with exceptions only for flights associated with the Secret Service, other law enforcement, or emergency medical flights — that 10-nm ring includes Biddefort airport, effectively closing it for three days. And anyone in the busy Portland area could forget about their flight lessons during this beautiful weekend. You’re welcome!
Actually operating within the TFR is not too difficult: you need to file a special flight plan, squawk a discreet ATC-assigned transponder code, remain in radio contact with ATC at all times, and go directly to your destination. Frankly, I would have done all of these things anyways for reasons of safety and efficiency, but I did have to alter my route to avoid the no-fly-zone and keep from finishing a very bad day in prison.
Once in Portland we flew to Laconia (KLCI), which was absolutely stunning. It’s such a beautiful airport to visit, because it’s surrounded by lakes everywhere that it’s not surrounded by hills, and it makes you think seriously about parking the plane and having a picnic, or renting a boat. Maybe next time.
And so it was that I carried my first passenger, who seems to be no worse for the wear. Since I started flying the Warrior this week, he was also treated to some exceptional landings, if I may be permitted to sound my own bugle. By training on the Tomahawk, which has no shock absorbers on its main landing gear, I had to work overtime to land without compromising my spine; every tiny bump was transmitted directly to one’s brainstem. The Warrior, however, has oleo struts on all three wheels, so these Tomahawk-trained landings are greasers every time. It doesn’t hurt that the wings are also huge by comparison, helping you settle oh so gently down, like a feather landing on a kitten, asleep on a pure down pillow.
Merlin83b said,
October 3, 2006 @ 06:50
That looks like a scan or picture of a paper chart – how long are TFRs established for?
Our charts here in the UK are reissued once every 6 months, so TRA (Temporary Restricted Airspace – our TFRs) don’t show on them.
phik said,
October 3, 2006 @ 11:47
The TFRs depicted on FAA paper charts are only those that are established for the long term. In fact, the TFR was modified slightly this time around, so the chart isn’t quite right — it’s actually centred over the Kennebunk VOR now (if I recall correctly) which almost got me in trouble, because it’s several miles further northwest!
But given that the Bush family compound is at Kennebunkport, the FAA knows that there will be plenty of presidential TFRs while Bush remains in office, so they go ahead and print it on the form. I imagine there’s a similar white circle around Crawford, TX.
David said,
August 11, 2007 @ 16:38
Why are you complaining? It’s very simple, file a flight plan, talk and squawk. Don’t be like the DOPE on Thursday who flew into it while VFR with no flight plan and not talking to approach. He got intercepted and most likely arrested. I’m a pilot and fly out of KASH all the time. We are often inconvenienced by these TFR, but we put up with them. It’s there to keep the president safe.
I can’t believe you are too lazy to open a flight plan. In my opinion, you should AT LEAST have flight following during a XC, especially in this area. If you do this, you will be safer to yourself, your passengers, other planes in the area and those on the ground.
“Inconvenienced” PLEASE. I bet you don’t do a complete preflight either! Quite your bitching or take your car!
If you really want to fly VFR without talking, fly west. There you can do whatever you like without talking to approach. If you MUST go in that area, FOLLOW THE RULES and quit your bitching.
phik said,
August 11, 2007 @ 17:19
I imagine that it’s fairly distracting being up on such a high horse, David, so I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you just didn’t read what I wrote.
I don’t know where you got the idea that I don’t keep in touch with ATC or routinely get flight following, since I wrote quite clearly:
Regarding flight following, I couldn’t agree with you more: ATC are an excellent resource, and I use them on every XC flight. Even in the Australian outback, where controllers possibly outnumber airplanes.
Given that you missed that, it’s perhaps no surprise that you missed the point as well. I’ll save you the trouble and excerpt the most important paragraph:
Certainly reasonable people can disagree about whether anyone in this country, including the President, is important enough to warrant 2800 square miles of airspace disruption. I’d quite enjoy a civil debate about liberty and the elevation of the chief executive in modern America.
But I take a fair amount of pride in being a diligent and careful (albeit low-time) pilot, as I expect you do. If you’re going to level such criticism, next time at least read the whole page.
The Boston-area pilot community isn’t that large, so maybe we’ll bump into each other at some event or another. I won’t hold it against you!
David said,
August 11, 2007 @ 22:12
Phik,
I’m sorry for jumping on you like that! My bad!
I read your whole journal and was beside myself to learn that as a pilot you, were so bothered by this TFR. As a pilot, I’m sure you know how dangerous a an airplane could be in the hands of the wrong person. As a low hour pilot, I’m sure you know how easy it is to get lost. BTW,,, I’m also a low hour pilot and admit that got lost a few times during my XC training. Getting lost around here during this TFR could easily be considered a threat.
Like him or not, the president is the most important person in America and we need to protect him, especially when he is away from his home base.
As I said, I did read your whole article and you have several valid points. Frankly, I respect you judgment in deciding to take advantage of the situation and learning how to operate within it. I would actually like to do the same, but I need to stay grounded for the weekend.
If you become president, I do expect you go move the TFR to wherever you decide to vacation in the summer. Hopefully it’s somewhere far away so we won’t have TFRs around here as often. I would also expect you to take me out in AF-1 to do steep turns and full power stalls over Fitchburg. ;)
I found your posting while trying to find the ATC archive from Thursday when a pilot wandered into the TFR without being on the radio. Another pilot I know actually heard ATC clear two fighter jets to intercept the threat. I was hoping to find it on liveatc.net, but they don’t have a feed from Portland approach. If anyone finds it, please send me a link. That way we can all learn how NOT to operate our planes during these TFRs. Even more, we can get an idea of what would happen if we did wander during a TFR.
Again, please forgive me. I do hope to meet you around sometime, no hard feelings. I’m just cranky because you flew today and I didn’t.
I do fly around, and through (when I get cleared), BOS Bravo airspace. I also fly around the NYC area a lot, but always go under Bravo airspace. If you have not done this yet, give it a shot. You will be BUSY on the radio.
Take care,
David