A CORPORATE HELI FLEW THROUGH A TEMPORARY PRESIDENTIAL RESTRICTED AREA.
Synopsis
A CORPORATE HELI FLEW THROUGH A TEMPORARY PRESIDENTIAL RESTRICTED AREA.
Narrative
WHILE ACTING AS PIC ON A PART 91; HELI FLT; RETURNING FROM GRATER WILMINGTON ARPT TO WALL STREET HELIPORT IN NEW YORK CITY; I OBTAINED A WX BRIEF/NOTAMS FROM OUR CONTRACTED WX SVC. CALLING UP THE MAJOR POINTS ON HIS COMPUTER; REVEALED THE IMPENDING PRESIDENTIAL RESTR AREA IN THE TETERBORO AREA. BEING THE START TIME WAS AFTER OUR MOVEMENT THROUGH THE AREA; WE CONSIDERED IT A NON-FACTOR IN OUR PREFLT BRIEF. HOWEVER; WE AGREED THAT WHEN WE TRANSITED THE NEWARK TCA; WE WOULD QUESTION THEM ON ANY CHANGES OR CONCERNS. OUR VFR FLT PLAN IN THE FMS PASSES OVER THE TRENTON/ROBBINSVILLE ARPT. APPROX 6 MI SW OF THE ARPT; WE XMITTED ON 123.0 (UNICOM); IN THE BLIND; OF OUR POS; ALT; AND INTENTIONS OF PASSING OVER THE ARPT. AT 3 MI; WE REPEATED OUR NEW POS AND INTENTIONS. AT NO TIME DID WE RECEIVE A RESPONSE FROM THE UNICOM AT THE ARPT. AS WE PASSED OVER THE ARPT AT 1000 FT; WE OBSERVED A LARGE CROWD AND 3 PRESIDENTIAL HELIS ON THE RAMP AREA. THE SUDDEN AWARENESS AS TO WHAT HAD HAPPENED CAUSED ME A GREAT DEAL OF ANXIETY AND ANGER. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WENT AS PLANNED WITH NO FURTHER DIFFICULTIES OR INCIDENT. AT THE COMPLETION OF THE FLT; I BEGAN THE PROCESS OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND WHY WE WEREN'T INFORMED OF THE TRENTON/ROBBINSVILLE PRESIDENTIAL RESTR AREA WHEN WE CHKED THE NOTAMS. MY EFFORTS REVEALED 2 DISTINCTIVE PROBLEMS; WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE: 1) THE NOTAMS ON PRESIDENTIAL RESTR AREAS ARE MADE PUBLIC FAR TOO LATE; SUPPOSEDLY FOR REASONS OF SECURITY. HAVING EXPERIENCED A LONG MIL CAREER; I CAN APPRECIATE THAT; HOWEVER; THESE VERY LAST MIN NOTAM DISCLOSURES OPEN THE DOOR TO WIDESPREAD CONFUSION; DISTORTION; AND LACK OF KNOWLEDGE. AFTER THE TERMINATION OF FLT; AND WITH 75 PERCENT OF THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT COMPLETE; 2 FSS STATIONS AND OUR CONTRACT SVC HAD DIFFICULTY IN FINDING THE TRENTON/ROBBINSVILLE NOTAM. IN FACT; 1 FSS STATION HAD NONE OF THE NOTAMS PERTAINING TO THE PRESIDENTIAL VISIT. 2) THE DUAT SYS DOES NOT REVEAL A NOTAM UNLESS THE SPECIFIC VOR IT IS OFF OF IS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED. OUR WX BRIEF CHKED THE VORS AT OUR POINT OF DEP; NEWARK; AND NEW YORK CITY. WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL VISIT AT TRENTON/ROBBINSVILLE IN ORDER TO REQUEST THE ROBBINSVILLE VOR FOR THE NOTAM. IN SHORT; IN NOT BEING AWARE OF THE VISIT; THE NOTAM WOULDN'T REVEAL ITSELF UNLESS WE REQUESTED THE SPECIFIC VOR. I FEEL LIKE A VICTIM OF AN OVERLOOKED TRAP RATHER THAN AS A VIOLATOR. HAVING ENJOYED A PROUD AND FLAWLESS; 27 YR CAREER IN PROFESSIONAL AVIATION; I IMPLORE YOU TO HELP IN RECTIFYING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.