Will Petition FAA Flight Standards Office For TFRs Over Schools When Classes Are In Session

Horry County, SC officials call a move to have the FAA establish TFRs over schools when children are present "a long shot" but also "a good case and a good cause," and are preparing legislation along with the City of Myrtle Beach to petition the FAA's Flight Standards Office to implement the flight restrictions.

The move comes amid what is being called a "long-running" battle between some residents and aviation companies, particularly those that operate helicopters. The focus of the effort is once again Helicopter Adventures, owned by Freddie Rick.

Rick says the legislation is unnecessary, because he voluntarily changed his flight patterns over the summer to avoid school, and that his pilots have not conducted flights over them. Rick says he has the GPS tracking data to prove his case.

County Councilman Al Allen, himself a commercial pilot, points to the TFR that is in place over Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL as an example of the type of restriction being proposed. He and others on the city and county councils say they can make the case for the TFRs as a safety issue near schools. Residents have also asked Rick to avoid schools as he conducts what are categorized as "amusement flights" over the city and beach areas, according to MyrtleBeach Online.

Rick insists that his aircraft absolutely do not fly over schools. The corridors are enforced by air traffic controllers and have a quarter-mile leeway on each side of the agreed-upon track. Rick said that maps posted on his website on which residents and the councils are basing their effort are "old" and will be updated this week.

Councilman Gary Loftus, who is also a pilot, said the TFR "is an avenue certainly worth exploring."

Helicopter Adventures had to fight the residents and county council just to get his operation up and running. He was tied up in a legal battle involving zoning for a heliport, which he won but is now being considered by the SC Court of Appeals.

Another helicopter tour company, Huffman Helicopter, was nearly denied a lease that had been previously awarded by the county. The two sides eventually settled their differences after Huffman Helicopter changed its routes to fly over the ocean.

FMI: www.horrycounty.org, www.cityofmyrtlebeach.com