AOPA warns mistakes by a few are threatening privileges of many

Three times this weekend, pilots entered the prohibited airspace P-40 over Camp David in western Maryland while the First Family was there. One of the incidents involved one or two ultralights, which military pilots were unable to track. The other two incursions involved light single-engine aircraft. Interviews with the pilots determined the incursions were accidental. No criminal charges will be filed, although the pilots still face possible administrative action by the FAA.

"Accidental or not, these incursions hurt general aviation," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "Every time a GA pilot strays into prohibited or restricted space, it leaves that impression with federal authorities that we are at best careless, and at worst, a threat."

AOPA urges all pilots to carefully check notams along their route of flight. AOPA Online provides many of the national security-related temporary flight restrictions, along with graphical depictions and plain-language explanations. However, the AOPA-supplied information is not an official government source and should be used only as a guide. Pilots must be sure to ask for all applicable notams from their preflight briefer.

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