FAA serious about TFR violations

Penalties for violating temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) in the wake of September 11 could be severe. The FAA believes that any pilot who violates the TFRs has demonstrated “a substantial disregard for safety and security, warranting a 150- to 240-day suspension or revocation of pilot certificates,” according to the AOPA. “The FAA maintains this position even if it is a single, inadvertent, first-time violation, and just a clip of the restricted area,” warned the association. A memorandum to inspectors from FAA headquarters instructs them to seek the more severe sanctions for any violation of a security-related notam.