Oops! Don't bust a POTUS TFR!

[CDE2FLY]

Roberto - thanks for the comic relief!! Just went back and read your post...I think it was the first time I smiled since my untimely meeting with the F15s....I needed that!

[GWright6970]

Hang in there Chris.... your attitude is an inspiration!

[napierm]

Wow. I've done lots of cross countries with exactly that methodology. Check weather/winds/TFR's online but because not using flight following didn't bother to call in.

Not listed on the website. What a load of BS.

[rwaltman]

... thanks for the comic relief!!

Any time. And thank you, for the lesson ...

[DesertFox4]

Chris, great to hear from you. So sorry to hear of your "adventure". From reading your description it sounds like you did everything correct from the time of intercept to now.
It triggered my memory of some time ago reading the rules to follow in this type of circumstance. I think I found it but won't guarantee this is the whole reg.
Might due us all good to read or refresh ourselves with the basic procedures in case we get unexpected and unintended "wingmen" on a flight someday.

Thanks for the advice and as we all know almost all of these incursions are completely accidental with no malice intended toward anyone or any property.
You have the support of all your friends here on TeamKitfox. We know you're a conscientious pilot and a great American. I'm sure all the service agencies involved have already discovered this.


https://www.faasafety.gov/files/noti...Procedures.pdf

[wvanbrink]

As a CFI I have spent way too much teaching pilots how to CYA. It is sad that in 2012 you have to check all of the online sources for info and still call flight service to get a "legal" briefing. I have always taught that you first research online then call flight service to confirm and make sure you always ask specifically about TFR's along your route or in the area if you are just staying local. I has a student call to get a briefing one night before departing on a night cross country flight during instrument training and flight service said all was well at our destination. I had pulled up NOTAMs and was reading over the info myself. I asked my student if they had said anything about the lights at the airport being out of service and they hadn't mentioned it. We called back, got the same briefer and asked specifically, turns out all the airfield lights were out that night and the briefer had just overlooked the info!

All flight service phone calls are recorded and archived for use after unfortunate events. Yes Duats is a legally recorded briefing but may not be as up to date as flight service when it comes to TFR's. It is unfortunate that so much of our preparation for flying now is driven by a desire to avoid the FAA and lawyers. TFR's are rediculous, GA can't fly in them but fully loaded 747's can fly right through and land, who is the greater threat?

Sorry to hear about this but great to have you share your experience. We all can learn from each other. Good luck and get back to flying!

[dholly]

Thanks for the support….truly grateful for this fine group. I’m sure I’ll get through the red tape with the FAA and be a better pilot for it with a deeper respect for checking multiple sources of TFR information and getting a pre-flight briefing on record before I leave the local area.
Chris

With any luck a little less red tape now that the new Pilot's Bill of Rights was signed into law last week (Aug. 3rd). Improving and centralizing NOTAMs is a main priority in the bill. Hopefully, you will still get to enjoy a few days on the beach with your family!

[wvanbrink]

Another tip I forgot to mention.
Anytime you call flight service when airborne always ask about TFR's, even if all you want is a weather update. If you talk to them airborne they will ask you if you are familiar with all TFR's and restrictions along your route. Too often my students would open their flight plan and then say yes to that question just to get off the radio. I would then always ask them if the understood what they just did, they just told flight service that they knew about any potential pop up TFR's that may have come up since departure.

Also, remember that when a forest fire pops up and they are using aircraft their will almost always be a TFR put up to help protect the fire bombers. I've only seen them up to 3,000 agl, but I can't say they are "always" that height.

[CDE2FLY]

Thanks to everyone that's chimed in with some very useful information! I completely agree that a pre-flight briefing is the best way to avoid a TFR incursion and will be part of my SOP any time I venture away from the home airport in the future.

As far as updates go, I meet with two of FAAs finest (and I mean that literally) yesterday for over two hours and thoroughly reviewed both the certification/registration/operation side of my airplane as well as a deep dive into my aircraft, engine, and pilot log books, and of course the incident itself. I came away with some very vaulable information and can't compliment the FAA staff enough for their patients and willingness to help throughout this whole process.

While we still have some ground to cover, it appears as though this storm will pass and my flying career will continue starting with flying N725CE home as PIC either tomorrow or Saturday pending the best weather. Sure will be good to be back home with familar ground beneath me and replacing the NY City skyline with the rolling hills and farm fields of Upstate.

Thank you all again for your support and sharing your valuable insight with the rest of us.

Chris

[rwaltman]

... starting with flying N725CE home as PIC either tomorrow or Saturday

Glad things turned out OK, enjoy the flight!

Roberto.