Pilots Traveling To Oshkosh Thursday And Friday Could Be Affected

A TFR has been issued for Thursday and Friday around the greater Chicago area corresponding with a visit by President Obama to the region, and pilots wishing to transit the area on their way to Oshkosh will need to plan accordingly.

The largest of the areas covered by the TFR, designated 'Area A' is centered on the Northbrook VOR/DME (OBK) 155 degree radial at 18.5 nautical miles. (Latitude: 41º56'41"N, Longitude: 87º46'00"W). It extends for 30 nautical miles and covers altitudes up to, but not including 18,000 feet MSL. The TFR is in effect from July 23, 2009 at 2100 UTC (July 23, 2009 at 1600 CDT) to July 24, 2009 at 0200 UTC (July 23, 2009 at 2100 CDT).

There are three other smaller areas designated by the TFR at more specfic times.

According to the FAA, no pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM (except as described). Except as specified below and/or unless authorized by ATC in consultation with the air traffic security coordinator via the domestic events network (DEN):

• A. All aircraft operations within the 10 NMR area(s) listed above, known as the inner core(s), are prohibited except for: Approved law enforcement, military aircraft directly supporting the United States Secret Service (USSS) and the office of the President of the United States, approved air ambulance flights, and regularly scheduled commercial passenger and all-cargo carriers operating under one of the following TSA-Approved standard security programs/procedures: aircraft operator standard security program (AOSSP), full all-cargo aircraft operator standard security program (FACAOSSP), model security program (MSP), twelve five standard security program (TFSSP) all cargo, or all-cargo international security procedure (ACISP) and are arriving into and/or departing from 14 cfr part 139 airports. All emergency/life saving flight (medical/law enforcement/firefighting) operations must coordinate with ATC prior to their departure at 847-608-5911 to avoid potential delays.
• B. For operations within the airspace between the 10 nmr and 30 nmr area(s) listed above, known as the outer ring(s): All aircraft operating within the outer ring(s) listed above are limited to aircraft arriving or departing local airfields, and workload permitting, ATC may authorize transit operations. Aircraft may not loiter. All aircraft must be on an active IFR or VFR flight plan with a discrete code assigned by an air traffic control (ATC) facility. Aircraft must be squawking the discrete code prior to departure and at all times while in the TFR and must remain in two-way radio communications with ATC.
• C. The following operations are not authorized within this TFR: flight training, practice instrument approaches, aerobatic flight, glider operations, parachute operations, ultralight, hang gliding, balloon operations, agriculture/crop dusting, animal population control flight operations, banner towing operations, model aircraft operations, model rocketry, and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
• D. FAA recommends that all aircraft operators check NOTAMs frequently for possible changes to this TFR prior to operations within this region.

The FAA additionally recommends that pilots planning to transit the area during the TFR should contact your local FSS for complete information for flight planning purposes.

FMI: http://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_9_0041.html