Two 152's And An RV8 Escorted From Restricted Airspace Over The
Weekend, Confusion Reported For One Air Medical Flight
President Obama's Memorial Day holiday in Chicago has caused
three pilots to have discussions with federal officials they
probably would rather not have had, after they intruded on the TFR
over the Windy City in place for the President's Memorial Day
visit.
As ANN reported over the weekend, the pilot of an RV-8 was met
by a couple of F-15s and escorted out of the airspace late Friday
afternoon, shortly after the TFR went into effect. He was met by
local authorities on landing in Aurora Municipal Airport (KARR)
west of Chicago.
As the weekend progressed, two Cessna 152 pilots also found
themselves visited by aircraft belonging to the Federal Government
as they flew in the greater Chicago metropolitan area. The Chicago
Tribune reports that one of the 152's "barely encroached" on the
restricted area Saturday morning, and was met by a Coast Guard
HH-65 Dolphin helicopter. The pilot was shown the way to Schaumburg
Airport (O6C) northwest of the city. The other 152 strayed
about 2 miles into the TFR before being met by a couple of F-15's
and a Dolphin helo about 2055 local time Sunday night. That
airplane was escorted to Lewis University Airport (KLOT) in
Romeoville to the southwest of Chicago.
NORAD's Major Mike Humphries said that these kinds of violations
are not uncommon and almost always accidental, but "we have to be
ready every time." FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said the
agency would be looking into the violations, and would not
speculate on any potential penalties.
C152 File Photo
In a related incident, a Flight for Life helicopter pilot
reportedly kept getting a busy signal when he attempted to call to
obtain clearance to fly in the TFR. The air ambulance was called
after a 4-year-old boy fell from a second story window and
sustained injuries which were serious, but not considered
life-threatening. The Northwest Herald reports that he was taken to
from a Suburban Chicago hospital to a fire station in Cary, IL,
where he was to have been picked up by the helicopter and flown to
Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, IL.
But when the pilot called the number listed for special
clearance through the TFR, he repeatedly received a busy signal. A
Flight for Life spokesperson confirms that he continued to try,
eventually got through, and was given permission to fly ... but by
that time the doctors had changed their minds and the boy was taken
back to the original hospital outside the TFR and flown from
there.
Flight for Life Helicopter File Photo
Both FAA and Secret Service officials said that air medical
services are not restricted during a TFR. But the call is
necessary. In the original posting of the TFR issued last week,
pilots were told "For operations within this TFR, all USSS vetted
aircraft operators based in the area and all emergency/life saving
flight (air ambulance/law enforcement/firefighting) operations must
coordinate with ATC prior to their departure at 847-531-5811 to
avoid potential delays. This number will become active two hours
prior to the activation of the NOTAM."