First time Presidential TFR tips

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Matthew Rogers

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Matt R
So I finally have a trip planned that is impacted by a VIP TFR. FDC 9/5190 ZNY covers Fishers Island 0B8 tomorrow from 10:30-4:15. It is my first dedicated trip with my 3 year old son, who is doing great in my C150 alone with me as my co-pilot. I have taken him back and forth to Albany to the in-laws and this trip is only 15 minutes longer so he should do fine.

I usually get flight following from NY approach and have an account and file and activate VFR flight plans. I see that the TFR allows planes arriving or departing from local airports. VFR flight plan is required and a squawk code is required.

So who actually clears you into the TFR? Do I have to take off and then ask approach along the way before entering if I am allowed to enter? Do I call 1800WX and they will give the clearance along with the filed flight plan?

When leaving, it says that I must take off with a squawk code from the ground. 0B8 is close to Groton class D and the radios probably reach over to their tower. Will they give me a code and clear me to takeoff into the TFR to leave?

Not looking to give my kid a close up air to air of a black hawk or see if a F16 can keep up slow flight with a 150.

Is there an online site that gives a good set of procedures for this situation?

Thanks.
 
I've never flown through a TFR but this is how I understand it to work. On your way there, just open your VFR flight plan like normal. They will give you a squawk code. Then when you get close, they will tell you what they want. If it were me, I'd ask if I was cleared before I entered the TFR. Then fly to your destination, land, THEN CANCEL YOUR FLIGHT PLAN. DON'T CANCEL IN THE AIR! When you leave, I'd either call clearance delivery or the neighboring class D. If they want you to contact someone else, they'll let you know. Good luck and report back how it went!!!
 
lancie00 said:
I've never flown through a TFR but this is how I understand it to work. On your way there, just open your VFR flight plan like normal. They will give you a squawk code. Then when you get close, they will tell you what they want. If it were me, I'd ask if I was cleared before I entered the TFR. Then fly to your destination, land, THEN CANCEL YOUR FLIGHT PLAN. DON'T CANCEL IN THE AIR! When you leave, I'd either call clearance delivery or the neighboring class D. If they want you to contact someone else, they'll let you know. Good luck and report back how it went!!!
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I usually use the Text (phone) based 1800wx system to open and close flight plans, so I can do that on the ground. It is great because they send me a message asking if I want to open the plan before and another asking me to close it at the end. A quick reply text and it is done. But that does not get a code so I think I will call the Groton tower and ask them the best way to leave fishers island tomorrow during the TFR from the ground.
 
Well, I tried to get this info directly from the FAA website, but it's apparently hosed right now, so I pulled it from Airnav instead (http://airnav.com/airport/0b8):

Airport Communications
CTAF/UNICOM: 122.8
PROVIDENCE APPROACH: 125.75
PROVIDENCE DEPARTURE: 125.75
WX ASOS at GON (5 nm N): PHONE 860-449-8921
WX ASOS at WST (12 nm NE): 132.375 (401-596-9543)
  • APCH/DEP SVC PRVDD BY BOSTON ARTCC ON FREQS 124.85/307.9 (WOODSTOCK RCAG) WHEN PROVIDENCE APCH CTL CLSD.
  • GROTON RCO 122.1R 110.85T (BRIDGEPORT RADIO)
So you could contact Bridgeport Radio via the Groton RCO as noted above, but if you scroll down a bit farther you'll see a phone number:

Additional Remarks
- FOR CD CTC PROVIDENCE APCH AT 401-738-8945, WHEN APCH CLSD CTC BOSTON ARTCC AT 603-879-6859.

If I were doing it, I'd probably all up Providence Approach on the phone above and get a regular VFR clearance from them and make sure it has a squawk included.

Btw.. That's a cool looking airport. Is there a restaurant nearby that warrants a visit?
 
You've gotten what you need in bits and pieces, so I will try and connect the dots and provide what the TFR requires. First, it looks like you will be taking off VFR from inside of the 30 nm ring. So you will need to have a VFR flight plan on file. It is not necessary to activate the VFR flight plan. It is also necessary to have a transponder squawk code from the ground. To do that, telephone Providence Approach Control at 401-738-8945. If Providence is closed, call Boston Center at 603-879-6859 (both those numbers are in the Chart Supplement (i.e., AFD) entry for 08B under Clearance Delivery Phone). Tell them that you are on the ground at 08B and want to fly VFR through the 30 mile TFR ring to XXX via YYY (make sure the route doesn't touch the 10 mile ring), and that you need a squawk code and frequency to contact in the air. They will give you that information. Enter the squawk code on the ground before take off, take off, and when clear of the traffic pattern call the assigned frequency. Tell them your position and altitude, the altitude you are climbing to and that you are turning on course to ZZZ degrees. In a few seconds they should tell you that you are radar contact and possibly provide any instructions to the contrary of your plan. From then on it is flight following.

On the return, you again need to have a VFR flight plan on file. Get flight following outside of the 30 mile ring so you have a squawk and are talking to ATC. Then fly as you normally would with flight following back to 08B. The only difference is that when ATC hands you off to the CTAF they should tell you to keep the squawk code to the ground. If they don't tell you that, confirm that the TFR is still active. If it is not active, you may squawk 1200 and land normally. If it is active, then keep your assigned squawk code to the ground even after you have switched over from ATC to the CTAF for 08B.

That's it.
 
I had a similar situation flying from KLOU (Bowmanfield, Louisville) back into Cincinnati airspace when Prez/Vice Prez were in Cincinnati last week. I would have been flying back to a private airstrip right inside the 30 nm TFR ring. After reading the TFR and calling 1800WX for clarification the following two requirements needed to be done prior to entering TFR.

1) Have a VFR (or IFR) plan filed. (The rep on 1800wx said it (VFR plan) did NOT have to be activated, just filed)
2) Have a sqawk code and be in radio contact with controlling airspace, likely Cincinnati Approach. (I would have asked Bowman Ground to set me up for flight following, or taken off VFR and called up Cinci approach and asked for clearance and squawk code prior to flying into 30nm radius.) The 1800x rep said to make sure I kept Sqawk code in xponder until I was parked and shut down.

I ended up scrubbing flight lesson that evening at Bowman and stayed on the ground, but instructions I was going to carry out align with bkspero's and other's explanation.
 
If I ever violate a TFR, it’d probably be in a single engine Cessna. Maybe like this:


upload_2019-8-8_13-7-0.jpeg


It’s a joke son, a joke.
 
I just realized that every time I flew in a TFR, it was because I was one of the "participating" aircraft!

Sorry, no photos... :fingerwag:
 
bkspero said:
You've gotten what you need in bits and pieces, so I will try and connect the dots and provide what the TFR requires. First, it looks like you will be taking off VFR from inside of the 30 nm ring. So you will need to have a VFR flight plan on file. It is not necessary to activate the VFR flight plan. It is also necessary to have a transponder squawk code from the ground. To do that, telephone Providence Approach Control at 401-738-8945. If Providence is closed, call Boston Center at 603-879-6859 (both those numbers are in the Chart Supplement (i.e., AFD) entry for 08B under Clearance Delivery Phone). Tell them that you are on the ground at 08B and want to fly VFR through the 30 mile TFR ring to XXX via YYY (make sure the route doesn't touch the 10 mile ring), and that you need a squawk code and frequency to contact in the air. They will give you that information. Enter the squawk code on the ground before take off, take off, and when clear of the traffic pattern call the assigned frequency. Tell them your position and altitude, the altitude you are climbing to and that you are turning on course to ZZZ degrees. In a few seconds they should tell you that you are radar contact and possibly provide any instructions to the contrary of your plan. From then on it is flight following.

On the return, you again need to have a VFR flight plan on file. Get flight following outside of the 30 mile ring so you have a squawk and are talking to ATC. Then fly as you normally would with flight following back to 08B. The only difference is that when ATC hands you off to the CTAF they should tell you to keep the squawk code to the ground. If they don't tell you that, confirm that the TFR is still active. If it is not active, you may squawk 1200 and land normally. If it is active, then keep your assigned squawk code to the ground even after you have switched over from ATC to the CTAF for 08B.

That's it.
Click to expand...

^^^ this.

And remember TFRs are mobile and can move to cover your planned route of flight on a whim or a schedule change. Be prepared to be flexible.
 
texasclouds said:
Well, it’s your funeral pal. You’ll be thinking of me when that first rocket wizzes by...
Click to expand...

Ahh, sorry, my bad. I thought Your comment was a political cheap shot, but misunderstood.
 
So I am back. And no blackhawks or black suited men knocking at the door, so far.
I will make it short so here is a summary.

No issues with flight plan, filing and opening. Took off and picked up NY approach on 132.75 at 9:50am +/-. Got a code and went on my merry way.

As I got 10 miles from the 30 mile TFR ring as shown on FlyQ, I called up approach and asked "NXXX is 10 miles from the TFR, confirming cleared into the TFR". I got a response of "NXXX you will beat the TFR to your destination East Hampton (not my destination!) and nobody is getting cleared into the TFR today". So I went ummmmmmm in my head.

Just as I was about to cross the red 30 mile circle on the chart (like 30 seconds before), I heard "NXXX radar services terminated, squawk VFR, frequency change approved". Another ummmmmmmmm. I was on flight following, no handoff frequency, just a big "Buh Bye". They were busy and told a few VFR guys that they didn't have time. But I was already in the system, had a filed and opening flight plan, and was just about to cross the line. If this was any other job other than a supremely busy and stressful job like NY approach, it would warrant a big middle finger for a similar situation, but I kinda understand. Not the actual action, but that mistakes get made.

Luckily I had Providence approach frequency loaded up on my single radio and made a quick call to them and told them that NY approach just dropped me and told me not to worry about the TFR, dropped my code, and sent me on my way. They gave me a code quickly again, told me that NY approach was totally wrong and thanks for calling them. Easy transition after that to Groton tower and down on the ground with my code still flashing.

On the return, I could contact groton tower on the ground and they gave me a code to takeoff and all was good on the way back other than a mess of bumpy air and headwinds.

TL:DR ATC may tell you to go blindly into an active Presidential TFR and or drop your services right at the edge for no reason and without warning. That would have certainly been a case of "pull the tapes" if I heard a brasher warning or had an issue.
 
Thanks for this. I’m flying through the TFR in Florida tomorrow and am glad to see the information posted and followed-up.
 
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