BEECH 33 PLT MADE 2 VFR TKOFS AND LNDGS IN THE PATTERN AT AN UNCTLED ARPT AND SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED THAT ALL VFR TFC WAS PROHIBITED.

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I OWN AN AIRPLANE THAT IS HANGARED AT THE BURLINGTON; NC; ARPT. DUE TO WORK CONSTRAINTS; I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FLY FOR OVER 1 MONTH. I HAD BEEN WATCHING AND LISTENING TO NEWS RPTS SINCE THE WORLD TRADE CENTER/PENTAGON ATTACK; AND BELIEVE I HEARD THAT THE VFR FLT RESTR HAD BEEN LIFTED. ON A SPUR-OF-THE-MOMENT DECISION; I CALLED MY FBO AND HAD THE AIRPLANE PULLED FROM THE HANGAR LATE IN THE AFTERNOON OF SEP/XA/01. I DID NOT GET A WX BRIEFING; AS I INTENDED TO STAY NEAR THE ARPT AND THE WX WAS EXCELLENT. THE FBO PERSONNEL KNOW I NORMALLY FLY THE AIRPLANE ON BUSINESS AND USUALLY FILE IFR; THEREFORE; DID NOT REMIND ME OF THE VFR RESTR. I ARRIVED AT THE ARPT AFTER THE FBO WAS CLOSED. I DID 6 TKOFS AND LNDGS; STAYING IN THE PATTERN AT OR BELOW 1200 FT AGL. I NOTICED THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC AT THE ARPT; BUT ATTRIBUTED THAT TO THE LATE HR. I DID HEAR OTHER RADIO TFC SUGGESTING VFR ACTIVITY AT NEARBY ARPTS. I ANNOUNCED ALL ENTRY ONTO THE ACTIVE RWY; TURNS TO BASE; AND TURNS TO FINAL ON CTAF (122.8). THE NEXT DAY I HAD A DENTAL APPOINTMENT AND MY DENTIST; A FELLOW PLT; INFORMED ME THE VFR RESTR WAS STILL IN PLACE. AFTER THE DENTAL APPOINTMENT; I CALLED THE RALEIGH DURHAM BRIEFING LINE AND HEARD THE RECORDING CONFIRMING THE VFR RESTR. THE BRIEFER AND HIS SUPVR WERE NOT SURE WHAT I SHOULD DO. THE NEXT DAY; I CALLED THE GREENSBORO TWR AND INFORMED THEM OF MY ACTIONS; AND WAS TOLD TO CALL THE GREENSBORO FSDO. MR X AT FSDO SUGGESTED THAT I COMPLETE THIS RPT. MR Y ALSO INFORMED ME THAT VFR RESTR VIOLATIONS WERE BEING HANDLED BY LCL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS AND; SINCE I HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED; THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE NO FURTHER ACTION REGARDING THIS INCIDENT. I TRUSTED PUBLIC MEDIA REGARDING VFR FLT RESTRS. I FAILED TO CALL FSS PRIOR TO VFR FLT; EVEN THOUGH I KNEW THERE WAS A RECENT PROHIBITION ON VFR FLT. THE FBO PERSONNEL FAILED TO INFORM ME OF THE ACTIVE VFR FLT RESTR. THEY HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO DO SO; BUT TYPICALLY VOLUNTEER HELPFUL INFO. I MISINTERPED THE ABSENCE OF FLT ACTIVITY AT THE ARPT. MY CORRECTIVE ACTION WILL CONSIST OF CALLING THE RALEIGH DURHAM FSS BEFORE EACH FLT; INCLUDING LCL VFR FLTS. I INFORMED THE FBO OF MY MISTAKE; IN THE HOPE THEY WILL TAKE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN PREVENTING ADDITIONAL OCCURRENCES.