Watch Those TFRs: Example, Ever-Changing P-40

Call and call frequently. Over the weekend, the FAA published NOTAM 2/1730 that enlarged P-40, the Restricted Area around Camp David near Thurmont, Md., to twice the size of combined P-40 and R-4009 depicted on the special new “Blue Dot” Baltimore-Washington VFR Terminal Area Chart.

Call and call frequently. Over the weekend, the FAApublished NOTAM2/1730 that enlarged P-40, the Restricted Area around Camp David near Thurmont,Md., to twice the size of combined P-40 and R-4009 depicted on the special new"Blue Dot" Baltimore-Washington VFR Terminal Area Chart. Issued onAugust 8, the Blue Dot chart shows P-40 as a circle with a 2.5-nm radius whenthe President is not in residence there, growing to a 5-nm radius when he isthere. Under the period affected by the NOTAM, P-40 grew to a radius of 10 nmfrom 4:00 p.m. local time on Friday, November 8, 2002, through 4:00 p.m. localtime on Sunday, November 10, 2002, with various restrictions for various typesof flight operations ... but that's not all. The Helicopter AssociationInternational (HAI) announced last week that the Secret Service may hope toenlarge P-40 to a radius of 30 nm for future presidential visits. The FAA hasalso published NOTAM2/1393, which extends the duration of 2/0291 through theend of November. The NOTAM prohibits flight operations -- unless otherwiseauthorized by ATC -- within 5 nm of Camp David and at or below 12,500 feet MSL.