Silent Skies

I live in Great Meadows, NJ, about 4 miles northwest of Hackettstown
Airport. This is a nice clear Saturday morning, and usually I would
hear the occasional airplane engine as some SEL passes nearby, even
once in a while the distinctive sound of a radial. But not today.
And why? Because President Trump is spending yet another weekend
playing golf at his resort in Bedminster, NJ. The TFR restricts just
about all flying in the northern half of NJ. Two fields in that range
have both commercial and club glider operations, Aero Club Albatross
at Blairstown, and Hawk Valley Soaring at Van Sant in PA. Given that
clubs and flight schools do most of their business on weekends, it is
questionable whether we can survive this for very long. Nothing we
can do about it, of course, except bitch and moan. So count your
blessings while you've got 'em.

34 public use airports are covered by the current TFR.

Jim Beckman

I know AOPA and others are pushing to get some compensation to affected airports. My home field is just north of the zone, so they will fly.

Well, glad you see this in a new light.
While past Presidents would shut down airspace now and then, current Prez shuts down this area roughly 2 weekends/month since he based in the area.

Same goes for parts of Florida.

As I stated, we are just outside the affected area, but a number of local turnpoints are closed to us. We can't go too far south due to the Mode C veil for Newark/EWR anyway.
Sucks for many local airports in NJ, PA and a little NY.

I fly out of Middletown, NY (K06N).

On Saturday, July 21, 2018 at 9:17:00 AM UTC-4, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
I know AOPA and others are pushing to get some compensation to affected airports.

I've read that some sort of proposal along those lines has been
included in some sort of budget bill. But that would still have
to make it's way through both houses of Congress, and get signed
by the President. And then it would no doubt take a lot of time
to get the procedures and bureaucracy set up. And it wouldn't do
the glider clubs any good at all.

Anyway, some financial compensation would be nice, but it really
wouldn't make up for being stuck on the ground when what we really
want to do is FLY.

Jim Beckman

Well, I complained (or commented) on the Silent Skies locally.
That changed for a while Saturday afternoon around 12:30. From
the thundering noises overhead, it was clear that the F22s were
out, probably chasing down some poor schmoe who didn't get the
word about the TFR. Man, when it comes to turning kerosene into
noise, those machines are great!

Last year, during one of the first Bedminster TFRs, I was out
driving not far away, and stopped to watch a Raptor stooging
around overhead, low and loud, and probably having a great
time doing it. Later I heard that some booby in a Stearman
had wandered in from the north, and got chased out. I've
also heard that there are many intercepts during each TFR.

I wonder how those military pilots feel about this duty?
In one way, it must be kind of embarrassing to be assigned
to protect a golf course. Then again, it's gotta be a
blast to fly around low over populated areas and chase
down Cessnas.

Jim Beckman

Protect a golf course? They are protecting the President of the United States, a task which I suspect most in uniform consider a great honor.

On Sunday, July 22, 2018 at 10:55:04 AM UTC-5, wrote:


I wonder how those military pilots feel about this duty?
In one way, it must be kind of embarrassing to be assigned
to protect a golf course.

Jim Beckman

NYC news mentioned an incursion by GA yesterday.

On Sunday, July 22, 2018 at 12:08:43 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Protect a golf course?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CxX8nvLalE

Jim Beckman

On Sunday, July 22, 2018 at 8:55:04 AM UTC-7, wrote:
Well, I complained (or commented) on the Silent Skies locally.
That changed for a while Saturday afternoon around 12:30. From
the thundering noises overhead, it was clear that the F22s were
out, probably chasing down some poor schmoe who didn't get the
word about the TFR. Man, when it comes to turning kerosene into
noise, those machines are great!

Last year, during one of the first Bedminster TFRs, I was out
driving not far away, and stopped to watch a Raptor stooging
around overhead, low and loud, and probably having a great
time doing it. Later I heard that some booby in a Stearman
had wandered in from the north, and got chased out. I've
also heard that there are many intercepts during each TFR.

I wonder how those military pilots feel about this duty?
In one way, it must be kind of embarrassing to be assigned
to protect a golf course. Then again, it's gotta be a
blast to fly around low over populated areas and chase
down Cessnas.

Jim Beckman

"I wonder how those military pilots feel about this duty?"

Why don't you ask them rather than participate in derogatory speculation? There are PLENTY of retired military pilots on RAS.

I did talk to an Air Force Thunderbird pilot who questioned what he was doing there one night flying combat air patrol over Iraq on Christmas.

Tom

On Sunday, July 22, 2018 at 9:29:39 AM UTC-7, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
NYC news mentioned an incursion by GA yesterday.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ai...cid=spartandhp

The Presidential TFR's in San Diego used to be 30 miles and did not shut down Warner Springs. Now the Presidential TFR's are 32 miles which is enough to shut Warner.