VIP FAA Grounding flight ops in SE Florida

[Chuck Feldman]

Well gents they have grounded all flying here in much of South East Florida. It reminds me of the days after 9/11 when all flying was cancelled. It seems that the President has come here to play golf with some of his contributors. He will leave here sometime on Monday. Once he is gone we can return to normal. All RC is forbidden. FF and CL are advised to be aware that they to could be grounded. I take that to mean that some over zealous cop may come out and shut us down. Nevertheless it is strangely quiet here. I am going away on a vacation and will not be here for this wonderful occasion. It is supposed to get cold here and very windy. Not good for golf or going to the beach. While I am away I will watch the news and see what is going on here in Stuart, Fl.

Chuck

[Elwyn Aud]

I hate to think of some club having a major contest that may have been in the planning stages for a year and "WHAMMO" the president decides to visit that week and throws a big monkey wrench in the works.

[Mike Keville]

If memory serves, an e-mail from the AMA once said that these TFRs (Temp. Flight Restrictions) apply only to RC and possibly FF, but not to "tethered" (i.e., CL) flight.

Right or wrong?

[dale gleason]

The Notams relating to TFR 3-8279 and 9-4985 spell out the prohibited activities within the  Florida Presidential TFRs. The list is pretty long and includes Radio Control and Model Rocketry. No mention of control line.

dg

[Randy Cuberly]

The Notams relating to TFR 3-8279 and 9-4985 spell out the prohibited activities within the  Florida Presidential TFRs. The list is pretty long and includes Radio Control and Model Rocketry. No mention of control line.

dg

Earlier last year when the AMA was working with the FAA to write the NOTAMS, the AMA representative answered the question about Control Line being included.  The answer was that it was not included and was considered the same as KITE Flying!  

I guess that's a good thing  

So, I guess unless they specifically cancel kite flying we have nothing to worry about  

Randy Cuberly

UUHHHhhhhh...I keep forgetting...What is it, again, that the AMA does for CL members? 

[pat king]

I live just South of Chicago. We get those NOTAMs all the time. Any time the President or First lady come to Chicago the airspace around OHare and Midway becomes a "NO Fly Zone" for the R/C guys.

Pat

[Steve Helmick]

I live just South of Chicago. We get those NOTAMs all the time. Any time the President or First lady come to Chicago the airspace around OHare and Midway becomes a "NO Fly Zone" for the R/C guys.

Pat

You can bet that the "Park Flier" types will ignore the NOTAMs, and probably won't ever know about their transgressions.

We have had several civilian plane/F-16 intercepts in the last 10 years during bigwig visits. One was from a residential airpark, and one was a seaplane flight from E. WA, across the mountains...neither type of pilot is likely to ever check for NOTAMs, and understandably so. Bigwig flights to Alaska would be very entertaining, because it's said that only 25% of the pilots up there actually have licenses!  Steve

[Jim Oliver]

Not aircraft related but related to the "visitor", the US Marine group that marched in the inaugural parade had to remove the bolts from their old Garand parade rifles; I'm sure it was also "in the interest of national security".

[Brett Buck]

Earlier last year when the AMA was working with the FAA to write the NOTAMS, the AMA representative answered the question about Control Line being included.  The answer was that it was not included and was considered the same as KITE Flying!  

I guess that's a good thing  

   The NOTAMs are definitely referring to free-flying airplanes. The FAA doesn't consider C/L models "aircraft" since they are restrained. That's the basis of exclusion.

   The real problem is as noted above, over-zealous enforcement by people who don't understand the FAA definitions. If someone comes around to stop you, you are in a no-win situation even if they are doing it by mistake.
 
   Brett

[john e. holliday]

Do as I did when all model flying was curtailed at Shawnee Mission Park here in KC.   I did not know about the ban on flying and had the officer call the park manager.   Once he described me and the controls on the plane he was told to let me fly.   Especially when I showed him the tether on the handle holding me to the airplane even if I turned loose of the handle.  Even had to do it when a new officer thought I needed a permit like the radio now need in orderto fly.   They have locks on the gates to the RC field.  You now not only have to have an AMA license, a park permit, a key, but have to be a member of the Shawnee Mission Radio Control Club to fly at the RC field.   Don't know about the freeflight guys.

[dale gleason]

I'm thinkin' they're taking this seriously.....which is a good reason to check for TFRs before goin' for a little flight...

[Paul Smith]

Fortunately I only fly CL and indoor.

The way this president buzzes around all the time in his private 747, half the RC fields are grounded all the time.  I hope he doesn't visit Indiana during The Nats.

[Steve Helmick]

Fortunately I only fly CL and indoor.

The way this president buzzes around all the time in his private 747, half the RC fields are grounded all the time.  I hope he doesn't visit Indiana during The Nats.

Maybe we'll be lucky, and he'll be visiting his birthplace.  Steve