State Of The Union TFR: 02.01.06

Yep, it's that time of year again: one week from next Tuesday, the Washington-Baltimore metro area becomes completely, 100 percent impenetrable to general aviation for four hours.

As was expected -- although it still hurts -- the FAA on Friday issued its annual State Of The Union TFR, effective for four hours (0:00 to 4:00 UTC, 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm EST) January 31st as President Bush delivers his State of the Union address to both houses of Congress. That means NO general aviation traffic will be allowed inside the ADIZ.

AOPA President Phil Boyer weighed in on what has sadly become an annual tradition. "Since 9/11, this TFR for the State of the Union has been standard operating procedure," said Boyer.

No flights will be allowed to or from 21 airports inside the ADIZ (IFR flights WILL be permitted from Dulles and Baltimore/Washington International), including the so-called "fringe" airports -- Bay Bridge (W29) and Kentmore (3W3) and the DC-3 airports: College Park Airport (CGS), Potomac Airfield (VKX), and Washington Executive/Hyde Field (W32).

Airline traffic will not be restricted further during the State of the Union -- and delivery trucks will still be able to travel the streets of DC.

"...While we certainly understand the need to take extra precautions when top officials of all three branches of the federal government are collected in one room," said Boyer, "we wonder what kind of corresponding restrictions will be implemented on surface transportation, which can get very close to the Capitol with much greater payload than a Cessna 172."

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NOTAM Number: FDC 6/0755 
Issue Date: January 20, 2006 at 19:31 UTC
Location: Washington, District of Columbia
Beginning Date and Time: February 01, 2006 at 0:00 UTC
Ending Date and Time: February 01, 2006 at 4:00 UTC
Reason for NOTAM: Temporary flight restrictions for VIP (Very Important Person) Movement
Type: VIP
Replaced NOTAM(s): N/A

Affected Area(s)

 Airspace Definition: 
 Washington, DC Metropolitan Area Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ)
 Effective Date(s): 
 February 01, 2006 at 0:00 UTC (January 31, 2006 at 19:00 EST) - February 01, 2006 at 4:00 UTC (January 31, 2006 at 23:00 EST)

Operating Restrictions and Requirements

No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM (except as described).

 A. The DC ADIZ is that airspace, from the surface to but not including FL180, within the outer boundary of the Washington, DC tri-area class B airspace area and that additional airspace contained within an area bounded by a line beginning at 383712N/0773600W thence counter clockwise along the 30-mile arc of the DCA VOR/DME to 384124N/0762548W thence west along the southern boundary of the Washington DC tri-area class B airspace area to the point of beginning. 
 B. The Washington DC metropolitan area flight restricted zone (FRZ) is defined as an area bounded by a line beginning at the Washington (DCA) VOR/DME 300 degree radial at 15 NM 385655N/0772008W thence clockwise along the DCA 15 NM arc to the DCA 022 degree radial at 15NM 390611N/0765751W thence southeast via a line drawn to the DCA 049 degree radial at 14 NM 390218N/0765038W thence south via a line drawn to the DCA 064 degree radial at 13 NM 385901N/0764832W thence clockwise along the DCA 13 NM arc to the DCA 282 degree radial at 13 NM 385214N/0771848W thence north via a line drawn to the point of beginning. Excluding the airspace within a 1 NM radius of freeway airport /W00/ Mitchellville, MD, from the surface up to but not including FL180. The FRZ is within and part of the Washington DC metropolitan ADIZ. 
 C. The following flight restrictions/special security instructions are in effect. Except as specifically provided below, all flight operations within the ADIZ and FRZ are prohibited. 
 (1) AIRCRAFT on an active IFR flight plan arriving and/or departing Dulles International airport (IAD) and Baltimore Washington International airport (BWI) may be authorized within the ADIZ.
 (2) Law enforcement and military aircraft directly supporting the United States Secret Service (USSS) and the Office of the President of the United States (POTUS) are authorized to operate in the ADIZ and FRZ. 
 (3) Regularly scheduled passenger part 121 and part 129 and part 135 all-cargo carriers operating under one of the following transportation security administration approved standard security programs/procedures: aircraft operator standard security program (AOSSP), domestic security integration program (DSIP), twelve five standard security program (TFSSP), or all-cargo international security procedures (ACISP) are authorized in the ADIZ if arriving into and/or departing from Baltimore Washington International (BWI) and Washington Dulles International (IAD).
 (4) Unless specifically authorized by the FAA in consultation with the United States Secret Service and the transportation security administration, all parts 91, 101, 103, 105, 125, 133, 135, 137 flight operations are prohibited within the Washington DC metropolitan FRZ. 
 (5) DoD and law enforcement operations are permitted within the ADIZ and FRZ as coordinated and approved with the air security operations center (ASOC). 
 (6) All waivers to FDC NOTAM 5/9477 are temporarily suspended during the time of this NOTAM except for waivers beginning with ELO, GOV and SPO. 
 (7) The provisions of FDC NOTAMs 5/1254 Maryland 3 airports, 5/9482 VFR traffic pattern operations at certain airports, 6/0465 ingress/egress procedures for bay bridge (W29) and Kentmore (3W3) in Maryland, and 5/9481 egress procedures for certain airports within the Washington, DC metropolitan area ADIZ are temporarily suspended during the time of this NOTAM. 
 (8) Emergency medical flights are authorized to operate VFR in the ADIZ and FRZ. Emergency medical flights must remain in two-way radio communications with ATC and be on an assigned discrete beacon code.
 (9) All aircraft entering or exiting the above listed airspace must remain in two-way radio communications with ATC and be on an assigned discrete beacon code. 
 (10) All US Secret Service cleared aircraft operators based in the area should notify the US Secret Service prior to their departure at 703-563-3222. 
 D. It is recommended that all aircraft operators check NOTAMs frequently for possible required changes to this TFR prior to operations within this region.

Other Information:

ARTCC: ZDC - Washington Center
Authority: Title 14 CFR section 91.141

FMI: www.tfr.faa.gov, Depicted TFR data may not be a complete listing. Pilots should not use the information on this website for flight planning purposes. For the latest information, call your local Flight Service Station at 1-800-WX-BRIEF.