ANN REALTIME UPDATE 10.12.06 1500 EDT: ANN has seen several reports in the general media today stating the FAA has imposed a temporary flight restriction for flights over New York City, in the aftermath of Wednesday's crash of a light aircraft into a Manhattan highrise apartment building. These reports imply the TFR remains in effect at this time, in statements attributed to New York Governor George Pataki.

A quick check of the FAA's TFR database -- and a quick call to the friendly folks at Flight Service -- confirms that these reports are NOT TRUE. The FAA did impose a TFR over the New York area Wednesday -- NOTAM 63156 -- in the moments immediately following the apparently accidental impact of NY Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle's SR20 into the Belaire apartment building on Manhattan's Upper East Side.

That TFR was rescinded approximately two hours after it was issued, however, as it became clear the tragic accident was just that -- an accident, and not in any way related to any kind of terrorist activity. In related news, fighter jets dispatched by NORAD as a precautionary measure were also called back, as it became clear the US was not again under attack from terrorists.

ANN decries these FALSE reports of a TFR, as in many of these stories this erroneous information is presented alongside reports of how one New York Congressman, Anthony Weiner, has fought for the imposing of air space restrictions over New York, similar to those imposed immediately after 9/11.

Those restrictions were eased six months later.

It seems the knee-jerk reactions to Wednesday's crash have already begun in earnest -- with Congressman Weiner repeating his call for a ban on helicopter flights over the island, as well as no fixed-wing flights over Manhattan except for takeoff and landing operations.

The Congressman also wants the FAA to extend its own restrictions on flights over congested areas, from the current limit of 500 feet to 1,500 feet horizontal distance.

FMI: www.tfr.faa.gov