HELI PLT TRESPASSES IN SLEEPING BEAR DUNES NATL LAKESHORE AIRSPACE NEAR TVC. HE IS UNAWARE OF CHART LEGEND REQUESTING THAT PLTS NOT FLY BELOW 2000 FT IN THE CHARTER AREA.
Synopsis
HELI PLT TRESPASSES IN SLEEPING BEAR DUNES NATL LAKESHORE AIRSPACE NEAR TVC. HE IS UNAWARE OF CHART LEGEND REQUESTING THAT PLTS NOT FLY BELOW 2000 FT IN THE CHARTER AREA.
Narrative
AFTER RETURNING FROM A PHOTO OP IN THE TRAVERSE CITY MICHIGAN AREA; TVC TWR INFORMED US THAT THEY HAD BEEN INFORMED THAT WE WERE WITHIN RESTR ALT OF THE 'SLEEPING BEAR DUNES NATIONAL LAKESHORE.' I INFORMED THE TWR THE LOWEST AGL WE WERE WAS 400 FT AGL. THE TWR INFORMED US THAT; THAT AREA'S MINIMUM AGL WAS 2000 FT AGL AND HE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HIGHER SINCE SEPT/TUE. I INFORMED THE TWR PERSONNEL I WAS SORRY! HOWEVER; ON MY VFR GREEN BAY SECTIONAL CHART FOR THAT AREA; IT SHOWS THE OUTLINED AREA; BUT NO NOTATION AS TO ALTS OR SUA. THE CLOSEST TO ANYTHING I FOUND ON THAT CHART WAS BY 'ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK.' SAME IDENT WAS ABOUT NO ACFT LNDG ON OR WITHIN 4 1/2 MI. TWR PERSONNEL INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD NOT FIND ANYTHING ABOUT THE ALT RESTR ON THE GREEN BAY SECTIONAL; BUT I WOULD FIND IT ON THE MICHIGAN AERO CHART 2004 EDITION. IT'S HARD TO FIND NOT BEING ON THE LEGEND. I FOUND ONE MICHIGAN CHART ANOTHER PLT HAD; AND FOUND A NOTATION ABOUT ALT WHICH READS; 'BOUNDARIES OF NATL WILDLIFE REFUGE AREAS. ACFT SHOULD MAINTAIN 2000 FT AGL OR HIGHER.' IN THE LEGEND IT SIMPLY STATES 'NATL PARK AREA; NOT WILDLIFE REFUGE AREA OR ANY RESTRS.' I TRULY BELIEVE VIOLATIONS OF THIS AIRSPACE CAN BE AVOIDED BY: PLACING THE IDENT OF THE AIRSPACE SYMBOL IN THE LEGEND OF THE 'GREEN BAY SECTIONAL' -- THE FEDERAL GOV STANDARD CHART; NOT JUST A MICHIGAN AERO CHART THAT IS PUT OUT BY THE STATE OF MICHIGAN WITH LIMITED DISTRIBUTION. ALSO A BOX WITHIN THE AREA OF THE SLEEPING BEAR DUNES WITH THE RESTRS ON THAT AIRSPACE; LIKE THEY DID WITH THE ISLE ROYALE AREA. ONE ADDITIONAL THOUGHT IS THE WORDING; IT SHOULD SAY 'SHALL...' NOT 'SHOULD MAINTAIN 2000 FT AGL.'
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.