Traffic Management Unit/TFR

Ted

Ted

The pilot formerly known as Twin Engine Ted
Joined
Oct 9, 2007
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iFlyNothing
Want to share some frustrations I had yesterday, and maybe some of our ATC friends are able to shed some light on this.

Yesterday I flew from KCKM (Clarksdale, MS) to KMMU (Morristown, NJ) for a dog flight. There was what looked to be a Presidential TFR in the area. MMU was in the outer ring of the TFR.

Normally, I get direct MMU and then as I get closer I get rerouted in typical NY fashion. But most of the trip is direct. In this case, I got a reroute that added 100 nm from the start, and took me on airways all the way up to southwestern NYS, and THEN direct. Filing was at FL210 in the MU-2, not an altitude that gets in the way of airliners.

Of course, as I approached SW NYS I got rerouted, and rerouted again... and finally direct airport But by then the damage was done, adding over 100 nm to the trip. Realistically the whole ordeal probably added 20-30 minutes to normal. There was no weather to speak of yesterday in basically the entire country.

Here's my question: WHY?! I can understand saying all traffic going into the area of the TFR must go through a specific fix. Fine. But why do I need to get on airways that add significantly to the route all the way to that fix? Why does the fix have to be over 200 nm northwest of the airport when I'm coming from the southwest?

Leaving MMU wasn't much better. 40 minutes on the ground idling. That was about 24 gallons of fuel. In that 40 minutes only 5 aircraft took off ahead of me at MMU - we were all waiting. Normally MMU is much busier.
 
Yep, lots of NOTAMs for flights up that way. Most of them involve going west because east and south don't work (NY Metros and DC metro). Some of it is administrative convenience - but most of it is coming up with a standard way to keep folks out of the more congested areas.

USSS and the other "forces of darkness" (as folks around here like to say) make the decision on the TFR, the FAA has to make that work with the rest of NAS.
 
ISaidRightTurns said:
Pref routes are in affect during the TFR: https://www.faasafety.gov/spans/noticeView.aspx?nid=7944

Hope that helps. Looking at your flight plan, it looks like you were given the correct routing.
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wsuffa said:
Yep, lots of NOTAMs for flights up that way. Most of them involve going west because east and south don't work (NY Metros and DC metro). Some of it is administrative convenience - but most of it is coming up with a standard way to keep folks out of the more congested areas.

USSS and the other "forces of darkness" (as folks around here like to say) make the decision on the TFR, the FAA has to make that work with the rest of NAS.
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This doesn't answer the question.

Normally on this route, I get direct. This isn't a question of "Why do I get put on airways in the northeast?" I know that.

My point is, if I was flying to SW NYS from MS, I would've gotten direct, and I bet even on that day I would've gotten direct. But, because I was going to MMU, they gave me that routing to get up to SW NYS.

Why?

As far as I can tell the answer is "Because we can".
 
Ted DuPuis said:
This doesn't answer the question.

Normally on this route, I get direct. This isn't a question of "Why do I get put on airways in the northeast?" I know that.

My point is, if I was flying to SW NYS from MS, I would've gotten direct, and I bet even on that day I would've gotten direct. But, because I was going to MMU, they gave me that routing to get up to SW NYS.

Why?

As far as I can tell the answer is "Because we can".
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When you hear stories about fighter intercepts around the TFRs, do you wonder where the fighters came from? And the tanker that keeps them topped off? You can't fly through that area easily, which is why you were rerouted, per the published notice that you didn't check.
 
I believe you answered your own question Ted. You said there was a TFR in effect. In addition the Big 3 Airports in that area, so needless to say a lot of traffic.
 
I get Teds point. The TFR doesn’t affect the whole country. Why a complicated route all the way from Mississippi to the NE? I could see having an entry point sort of like a STAR once you get near the congested airspace and TFR.
 
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It does not affect the whole country but it does affect more than the 30nm outer ring.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_air_patrol

Can you imagine trying to accomplish a refuel in 60nm? The CAP and tankers are right in that area an MU2 would like to cruise at - especially if you want to land in the area and try to descend through it.
 
mscard88 said:
But he didn't take the last train to Clarksdale.

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:confused:

:frown2:

No. Not even close to what I had in mind.

Clarksdale. Not Clarksville.

Near The Crossroads...

upload_2018-8-20_19-2-37.jpeg

Where Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil just so he could play guitar... play the blues.

Out on Highway 61.

Just north of Rosedale.

Monkees don’t know ****.
 
SkyDog58 said:
:confused:

:frown2:

No. Not even close to what I had in mind.

Clarksdale. Not Clarksville.

Near The Crossroads...

View attachment 66501

Where Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil just so he could play guitar... play the blues.

Out on Highway 61.

Just north of Rosedale.

Monkees don’t know ****.
Click to expand...

Ahh, Clarksdale, gotcha.

True true about the Monkees.
 
mscard88 said:
Ahh, Clarksdale, gotcha.

True true about the Monkees.
Click to expand...


Davy Jones screwed up the lyrics. It was supposed to be “last plane to Clarksdale.” Trust me; Tommy Tedesco and the rest of the wrecking crew knew all about The Crossroads.
 
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