Flying in a TFR

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Kevin87

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Kevin87
This Thursday there will be a TFR in Illinois for a VIP. It extends out to the airport that I train at. The TFR states that no flight training is allowed. If I solo and stay in the pattern, is that considered flight training?
 
Yes. Get a beacon code from the ATC facility overlying your airport, fly to an airport outside the TFR, and conduct pattern work there. Or wait on pattern work until the TFR is over.
 
Kevin87 said:
This Thursday there will be a TFR in Illinois for a VIP. It extends out to the airport that I train at. The TFR states that no flight training is allowed. If I solo and stay in the pattern, is that considered flight training?
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Good question. In my opinion that is a training flight. Dunno where a definition is but I'm sure someone will be along shortly to provide a source. The flight school I used for initial considered *any* flight to be a training flight and would ground all their aircraft for the duration of the TFR plus a few hours on either side.
 
Practice approaches and pattern work is considered training.
 
MarkZ said:
Yes. Get a beacon code from the ATC facility overlying your airport, fly to an airport outside the TFR, and conduct pattern work there. Or wait on pattern work until the TFR is over.
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Mark's answer is more helpful than mine. Read the TFR notam carefully since it probably includes the need to have an active flight plan along with the code.
 
Ok thanks guys. Maybe I'll make a plan and go somewhere else for pattern work.
 
Kevin87 said:
Ok thanks guys. Maybe I'll make a plan and go somewhere else for pattern work.
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Good idea. And talk this over in detail with your instructor before you do it, including what happens if they won't let you back in when you're done at the outlying field.
 
Ron Levy said:
Good idea. And talk this over in detail with your instructor before you do it, including what happens if they won't let you back in when you're done at the outlying field.
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Good call Ron. That would suck to be stuck and have to tie down the plane.
 
If you leave the airport,be ready for vectors to get back to the airport.
 
They will be watching for any airplane flying around inside the TFR that's not on an ATC-assigned beacon code and talking to ATC. Do not take off until you have talked to the coordination facility on the phone (or received one through FSS) and received a squawk code and departure frequency to call when airborne. Unless you like looking at F-16s up close, that is.
 
Stay home and watch TV. Seriously, its hard enough learning to fly an airplane without the added issues. Fly another day. Summer is almost here, there will be lots of good days to fly.
 
Yeah maybe I'll just fly another day.
 
I don't mind the SFRA hassles too much because I'm used to it, but if I was in your shoes and this was just a one-time thing, I'd sit it out. If you have a particular reason that you need to train during this time slot grab an instructor and have him be the PIC.

It's not really that hard to comply with the VIP TFRs, but there could be unusual ATC instructions for a new student, and your navigation abilities better be up to speed. Would be a bad time to get lost on the way back to your home airport...
 
steingar said:
Stay home and watch TV. Seriously, its hard enough learning to fly an airplane without the added issues. Fly another day. Summer is almost here, there will be lots of good days to fly.
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This is the best advice. Being on the "other side", I can assure you that certain TFRs carry a minimum of a 30 day suspension for violations (think Presidential, VIP). It's best to follow steingar's advice.

Don't rely on ATC to keep you in compliance either. I worked a case not too long ago where ATC inadvertently led a pilot into a TFR violation. While I was able to prove that it was not the pilot's fault, it took a lot of work on my end.

Fly safe!
 
kmox29 said:
Don't rely on ATC to keep you in compliance either. I worked a case not too long ago where ATC inadvertently led a pilot into a TFR violation. While I was able to prove that it was not the pilot's fault, it took a lot of work on my end.

Fly safe!
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Had a deal like that myself, though the errant controller was able to talk them down, which I feel was a huge favor to me. The incident was my fault, I was PIC.

I wouldn't urge an established pilot away from a TFR, we should all seek to deal with new challenges in our flying. But everything is new to a student pilot, no need to add anything more into the mix. To the OP, good luck with your training and good on you to ask about it.
 
Well I decided to fly this morning with the TFR. It was actually a good experience. I just called up flight service and asked them if they could give me more information on the TFR. We just did what they told us and everything worked out OK.
 
Kevin87 said:
Well I decided to fly this morning with the TFR. It was actually a good experience. I just called up flight service and asked them if they could give me more information on the TFR. We just did what they told us and everything worked out OK.
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Solo?
 
Please take the opportunity to use the phrase "Thanks, Obama" literally.
 
No I went with my instructor. I didn't want to mess anything up and then have fighters shadowing me.
 
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