FAA issues flurry of flight restrictions over national landmarks

The other shoes have dropped. The FAA has issued additional temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) over national landmarks in response to security warnings about possible terrorist activities during the July 4th holiday. The TFRs cover the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor, Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota, and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri. The "no fly" area over the Statue of Liberty extends for a one-nautical-mile radius of the statue from the surface to 1,500 feet [ see graphic] and is in effect until September. The Mt. Rushmore TFR extends for a four-nautical-mile radius from the surface to 10,000 feet [ see graphic]. The TFR goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. (local) July 3 and ends at 11:59 p.m. July 6. The restriction around the St. Louis arch, effective from midnight on the 4th through 11:59 a.m. on the 5th, extends for a three-nautical-mile radius at and below 3,000 feet [ see graphic].

"The new security TFRs, along with the 20-plus existing security TFRs, must be taken seriously by pilots," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "The stakes are very high. General aviation cannot afford the fallout resulting from airspace violations."

Pilots should specifically query the flight service briefer for notams when flying close to any monument or symbolic structure.

AOPA also urges pilots to comply with the FAA's advisory to avoid overflights of or "loitering" near nuclear and conventional power plants, dams, refineries, industrial complexes, military facilities, and similar structures. To help pilots avoid security TFRs, AOPA has updated its security notam page to more easily locate TFRs within specific geographic regions.

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