Temporary Flight Restrictions in Place for Papal Visit

September 17, 2015 - Large temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) will be in place over the Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia metropolitan areas as Pope Francis visits those cities next week. As always, pilots are encouraged to check all NOTAMs before they fly as the TFRs are subject to change. Details below:

Washington, D.C.

In effect: 1530 local time on September 22, 2015, until 1630 local time on September 24, 2015

Airspace effected: D.C. Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) and Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ)

• All operations prohibited except for authorized part 121 and part 129 regularly scheduled commercial passenger service and part 135 all-cargo carriers operating under certain TSA-approved cargo operator standards; foreign aircraft issued a DOS diplomatic clearance; VFR operations to, from and between airports in the SFRA permitted subject to provisions of 14 CFR 93.337 and FDC NOTAM 0/8326; VFR traffic pattern operations at airports within SFRA are suspended; egress procedures as defined in 14 CFR 93.345 will be in effect for the following airports: MD47, MD77, MD43, MD14, 51VA; provisions of FDC NOTAM 4/9152 for JYO will be in effect.
• The following operations are prohibited in this TFR: flight training (to include DOD, law enforcement/air ambulance), practice instrument approaches, aerobatic flight, glider, parachute, ultralight, animal population control, banner towing, hang gliding, balloon, agricultural/crop dusting, sightseeing, model aircraft, model rocketry, seaplane/amphibious, aircraft/helicopters operating from a ship or private/corporate yacht, and UAS. All waivers to FDC NOTAM 0/8326 and 14 CFR part 93 SFRA/FRZ are temporarily suspended during the time of this NOTAM except for waivers beginning with ELO, GOV, or SPO and DOD, LEO and MEDEVAC with prior coordination with Air Security Operations Center (ASOC).
• All aircraft operating within the SFRA/FRZ must be on an active IFR/VFR flight plan with a discrete code assigned by an ATC facility. Aircraft must squawk discrete code before entering airspace and at all times while in airspace, and must maintain two-way radio communication with ATC.

Read the full text of NOTAM 5/7437.

Philadelphia

In effect: 0900 local time on September 26, 2015, until 2130 local time on September 27, 2015

Airspace effected:

• Airspace from the surface up to, but not including, FL180, centered on the Woodstown VORTAC (OOD) 029 degree radial at 20.2 nm, extending on a 12 nm radius. All operations within this area are prohibited except for approved law enforcement, military aircraft, air ambulance, and regularly scheduled commercial passenger and all-cargo carriers operating under certain TSA-approved cargo operator standards and arriving to or departing from PHL.
• Airspace from the surface up to, but not including FL180, centered on the Woodstown VORTAC (OOD) 029 degree radial at 20.2 nm, extending on a 30 nm radius. Operations within the area between the 12 nm ring and 30 nm ring are limited to aircraft arriving or departing local airfields. ATC may authorize transit operations, workload permitting. Aircraft may not loiter and must be on an active VFR or IFR flight plan with a discrete code assigned by an ATC facility. Aircraft must squawk discrete code before entering airspace and at all times while in airspace, and must maintain two-way radio communication with ATC.
• Prohibited operations in the DC TFR outlined above also apply here.

Read the full text of NOTAM 5/8485 and 5/8486.