October 8, 2007 Antique Aircraft Intercepted In TFR

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By Russ Niles, Editor-in-Chief

The FAA says 12 aircraft on their way to an antique aircraft fly-in in Hagerstown, Md., violated a temporary flight restriction (TFR) and at least four were escorted out by F-16s. FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown told The Washington Post the lack of radios on some of the aircraft led to the interceptions. The Post said those attending the fly-in witnessed an F-16 circling a single-engine plane. The TFR was put in place in its final form on Friday to make way for President Bush's attendance at a memorial service nearby. Brown said it's up to pilots to ensure they know where they can fly. Brown said pilots checking NOTAMs would have known the TFR was there and been able to avoid it. It appears many pilots did check the NOTAMs and decided to avoid the TFR by avoiding the fly-in. Organizers said only 20 aircraft showed up, compared to the 100 or so they were expecting.