NBAA is reminding operators to be on the lookout for temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) in the Southeast during the winter months when President Trump is anticipated to increase visits to his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida. At least a half-dozen presidential TFRs were implemented in the Palm Beach area over the winter and early spring this past year, shuttering Palm Beach Park Airport (LNA) in Lantana and making operations at Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) much more difficult during a peak season.
When in effect, the presidential TFRs around the Palm Beach area comprise a 10-nm inner circle and a 30-nm outer circle up to 17,999 feet agl. The TFR incorporates a “buffer zone” permitting modified departures from PBI’s Runway 10L that require an immediate turn away from Mar-A-Lago.
Most business and general aviation operations are prohibited within the inner ring, with exceptions including approved law enforcement, air ambulance and firefighting.
Aircraft must be screened before departing PBI, and aircraft cleared through a designated gateway airport are permitted to fly into PBI. The designated airports—New York’s Westchester County Airport (HPN), Teterboro Airport (TEB) in New Jersey and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD); and Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in Florida—will be available for screening on Saturdays and Sundays when the presidential TFR is in effect. NBAA said more gateways might be made available.
Following last winter, industry groups evaluated the experiences with the Mar-A-Lago TFRs to find areas where improvements might be made and have maintained discussions with government security chiefs on areas such as designated gateways and availability of increased screening hours.
NBAA further plans to discuss the presidential TFRs with FAA and TSA representatives at the upcoming NBAA Regional Forum at PBI on January 24, the association said.
“NBAA continues to work with the FAA, TSA and U.S. Secret Service, as well as other local, state and federal agencies, to implement a more workable, permanent solution for business aviation access into these TFRs,” said NBAA senior manager of security and facilitation Sarah Wolf. “In the meantime, all pilots operating into or out of the Southeast Florida must check Notams before each flight.”