Mid-Atlantic pilots beware

Mid-Atlantic pilots beware

Pilots flying in Maryland and Pennsylvania, heads up this week. In addition to the Washington, D.C., Air Defense Identification Zone, you'll need to contend with a larger-than-normal temporary flight restriction (TFR) for the President's Wednesday visit to the Harley-Davidson motorcycle factory in York, Pennsylvania, and candidate rally in Lancaster.

Then on Thursday, President Bush will start a long weekend at Camp David, expanding that TFR as well.

The 35-nm-radius TFR is centered near McGinness Airport (8N7) in Columbia and is in effect from 1:50 p.m. to 7:10 p.m. local time Wednesday.

You must be on an active VFR or IFR flight plan, maintain contact with ATC, and squawk a discrete code to fly within the TFR. There are two smaller GA no-fly zones within the TFR.

See the notam for complete details.

AOPA's Real-Time Flight Planner will give you an up-to-the-minute picture of all published TFRs. But you should also check notams immediately prior to any flight.

August 15, 2006