I’d like some opinions from you pilots on one of your worst nightmares: busting a TFR, and actions taken against you for doing so.
Does it vary based on severity? I ask because over the weekend, I went to the California Capital Airshow at Mather Field in Sacramento. Obviously for the show (USAF Thunderbirds and Patriots were there), they had a TFR for the 2-day event covering the field, in a roughly 11nm radius, from SFC-11000.
Well, during the second day of the show, and in particular, during the Thunderbirds’ performance, some pilot flying VFR, busted the southern boundary of the TFR by descending into it, and exited it at a lower altitude than he entered it in. The Air Boss gave the traffic alert to the pilots, which definitely helped and kept the show running smoothly, but that will mean nothing to the pilot who went through, not talking to any controller, and probably was greeted on the ground to give a phone call to someone let alone fill out paperwork.
So my question is, what happens when someone busts a TFR? Obviously the phone call, perhaps a report filled out, but in this case, as it isn’t something like the Disneyland TFR or the ADIZ where serious consequences can happen… Would this guy lose his ticket, or suspended? What would happen?
“So my question is, what happens when someone busts a TFR?”
IF…you don’t get your private escort by the latest and greatest in military aircraft…
And you do the phone call thing with the follow-up paper work…the little bird in my ear says…you’re in a world of hurt when it comes to flying again. Possible insurance cancellations, FAA inquiries, Federal Court hearings, Attorney Fees…the list can go on. I’ve never heard of ANYONE busting a TFR and getting slapped in the hand. Prudence says…DONT BUST THEM!! Of course…just my opinion…I could be wrong.
One other thing…what did you mean by severity? You’re flying in a restricted area due to the high degree of flight-ops. Thats like busting a MOA or the ADIZ and Disneyland. I dont see the significant difference between any of them, other than busting a TFR during an airshow where the consequences would be…well lets just say you wouldnt have to worry too much about filling out paperwork and we would be talking about you in a very bad way…hey its just my opinion…dont mean to offend. But we all see these kind of things in the media and how they over-sensationalize. And we GA people, end up fighting an uphill battle convincing the public that we really are safe.
I’m asking, because while I’ve read about people violating restricted space, I have never seen/witnessed it happen firsthand. Funny thing is, no-one else there, unless they had a scanner on hand (like I did), would have ever known it.
What I didn’t know is that while a TFR is a TFR is a TFR, is there levels of severity in relation to the reason why the TFR is there. For example, an airshow vs. an amusement park vs. a football game vs. Pennsylvania Ave. vs. daily ops at an AFB.
Is there a spectrum of consequences for violating it?
I know of two TFR busters, both P-40, one was a CFI and student, he had to retake his CFI checkride, the other had political connections, that one never happened!
Also, a few years ago in JYO (Leesburg, VA inside the ADIZ) a guy squawked 1200 on a 3 mile final, and 3 Blackhawks met him at the FBO, and awaited a police car to take him away from his children. It really pissed me off when the chopper pilots were sipping coffee and making jokes about it inside the FBO, when the guys family was upstairs crying. Anyhow, I doubt that guy was let off the hook easy.
I have a friend who busted LAX Class Bravo really bad while doing some low altitude sight seeing. He wasn’t talking to anyone but knew this could be trouble.
My friend turned down a canyon that gets a lot of traffic and ATC can’t see below 2500 agl. When the transponder stopped flashing he dropped his gear and flaps reducing his speed from 160 knots to 100 knots so he appeared to be a slower plane. Made a 180 and headed back to his airport at 100 knots which was 10 miles away.
Knowing that ATC can tune in 122.7 he faked his radio call with;
Corona traffic, Sundowner 1943L 10 miles southeast inbound for landing.
Hmm, if my name was Sherlock, I’d say there’s a clue in the “reducing his speed from 160 knots” somewhere. That sounds familiar - doesn’t someone have a website “160knots” or something like that? Hey Allen, what’s the top speed of that Sundowner? And where in the world is Corona?
Haha - not trying to feed the flames - just stating the (semi)obvious!
8)
[quote=“fholbert”]
I have a friend who busted LAX Class Bravo really bad while doing some low altitude sight seeing. He wasn’t talking to anyone but knew this could be trouble.
My friend turned down a canyon that gets a lot of traffic and ATC can’t see below 2500 agl. When the transponder stopped flashing he dropped his gear and flaps reducing his speed from 160 knots to 100 knots so he appeared to be a slower plane. Made a 180 and headed back to his airport at 100 knots which was 10 miles away.
Knowing that ATC can tune in 122.7 he faked his radio call with;
Corona traffic, Sundowner 1943L 10 miles southeast inbound for landing.
This is definately not the first time something like this has happened. Anyone have an ASRS form handy?
Admit nothing, deny everything, make counter accusations.[/quote]
I see a tsunami coming…oh wait thats another thread… 
