Rationale for Laughlin AFB TFR

[kkoran]

• FDC 8/7851 ZHU TX..AIRSPACE LAUGHLIN,TX..TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS WI AN AREA DEFINED AS 3 NM RADIUS OF 292134N/1004640W (LAUGHLIN VORTAC DLF248000.3) SFC-3000FT AGL AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT. PURSUANT TO 14 CFR SECTION 91.137(A)(1) TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS ARE IN EFFECT. ONLY RELIEF AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS UNDER DIRECTION OF DLF ATC ARE AUTHORIZED IN THE AIRSPACE. DLF ATC TELEPHONE 830-298-5259 IS IN CHARGE OF ON SCENE EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTIVITY. HOUSTON /ZHU/ ARTCC TELEPHONE 281-230-5560 IS THE FAA COORDINATION FACILITY. 1811181345-1811251345

What is the rationale for this TFR? It is essentially an extension of one they instituted after the T-38 crash.

• What "relief" aircraft would be operating in the airspace?
  
• Why have a TFR that is contained in the Class C surface area?

 

[hindsight2020]

The official answer is that you don't have a need to know. But that just gets you folks all tin foil hat.

No need to fret. They did the same thing when the other T-38 crashed a year ago this week. The class Charlie is part time, so that TFR in theory keeps the lookie loos from loitering above the field trying to satisfy their morbid human curiosity when RAPCON is not on duty.

For more information, you can contact Laughlin AFB PA directly and they can formally stonewall you.

 

[kkoran]

The official answer is that you don't have a need to know. But that just gets you folks all tin foil hat.

No need to fret. They did the same thing when the other T-38 crashed a year ago this week. The class Charlie is part time, so that TFR in theory keeps the lookie loos from loitering above the field trying to satisfy their morbid human curiosity when RAPCON is not on duty.

For more information, you can contact Laughlin AFB PA directly and they can formally stonewall you.

The "official answer" would work if the TFR was issued under Part 99.7. I didn't consider the part-time airspace; though, I wonder if there would be enough interest to cause an unsafe gathering of aircraft. More likely, they just don't want photos/video of it. When I ran ATC at Vance AFB, the WG/CV said he wanted a TFR up to 5,000 AGL if there was a fatal crash.