Expect Temporary No Fly Zones To "Pop Up Like Mushrooms" All
Around The Country
ANN April 1st Special
Edition: A white house official said
Friday that the Obama administration has mandated that the FAA post
TFRs over any golf course on which the President would be playing.
The move was announced as part of the President's "Let's Get
Golfing Again" initiative he says will create jobs throughout the
recreation industry as well as combat the nation's obesity
epidemic.
"Golf gets people outdoors and moving, as long as you don't rent
a cart," the President said in his weekly radio address. "And even
for non-golfers, if one segment of the population is getting out
and getting fit, others may follow suit in what ever way they
choose. The goal here is to get people active again, and I intend
to use my bully pulpit to combat this national scourge that is
obesity."
Obama also said the initiative would create jobs in the sports
equipment manufacturing sector, as well as spur golf course
construction, greenskeepers, pro-shop clerks, and more. He was
looking into the feasibility of using ARRA funds for "shovel ready"
golf courses.
Obama says he plans to play as much golf as possible in an
effort to increase public awareness about the initiative. But the
secret service says that, to keep the president safe during so much
outdoor exposure, no aircraft will be allowed to fly over a golf
course on which the President is playing. "Who knows what a
terrorist in a small airplane could do if he or she knew that the
president was out on an exposed golf course," said one Secret
Service agent who's identity is ... well ... secret. "He'll be
playing on wide-open municipal courses for the photo-ops, and we
just can't have POTUS exposed in that way."
However, another agent said that the TFRs were as much for the
safety of the aircraft as they were for the President. "He's got a
wicked hook," said the anonymous agent. "With so many airports
adjacent to golf courses, we were concerned that a stray ball might
hit a low-flying plane and cause an problem. It was just easier to
close down all flight activity around the golf course for the 4
hours or so he'd be playing."
The letter groups immediately expressed outrage at the idea.
"Business people like golf as well as anybody," said "NBAA
president and CEO Ed Bolen, "but c'mon man, how can executives fly
in to join the President in a round of golf if their planes can't
land at the adjacent airport. It's just ridiculous."
"Where's the first place a sport pilot looks to land in an
emergency?" asked EAA CEO Tom Poberezny. "A golf course, of course.
The way this President plays golf ... well ... you never know when
that might result in a fatal accident. These things are going to be
popping up like mushrooms all over the country."
APOA president and CEO Craig Fuller was reportedly in the NAPA
Valley closing out the Wine Club, and was unavailable for comment.
The initiative is expected to be launched with a golf outing
featuring several professional players later this spring.