TFR established over Statue of Liberty

The FAA has established a temporary flight restriction area (TFR) around the Statue of Liberty. The "no fly" area extends for a one-nautical-mile radius of the statue from the surface to 1,500 feet msl. The TFR goes into effect at midnight tonight. "Government sources have told AOPA that they are very concerned about security and the 4th of July holiday," said Melissa Bailey, AOPA vice president of air traffic services. "The Statue of Liberty TFR is most likely just the first of a series of TFRs over symbolic national sites. Pilots must carefully check notams for any area where they might fly."

And in the wake of last week's Washington TFR incident, the military has stepped up its response to any aircraft that comes close to the 15-mile restricted area around Washington, D.C. Fighters will scramble on any aircraft that looks like it might be a threat to enter the TFR.

(Based pilots flying to and from College Park and Potomac airports—which are inside the Washington special flight rules area—must follow all of the procedures outlined in notam 2/1256 and SFAR 94. Departures from the TFR must maintain the assigned discrete transponder code until at least five nautical miles from the TFR, even if the controller has terminated radar services. Inbound aircraft must contact approach control at least five nautical miles outside the TFR.

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