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."

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.norad.mil, www.tsa.gov