VIP TFR Bismarck, ND Question

topgun260

topgun260

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Topgun260
There is a VIP TFR currently around Bismarck, ND for President Trump's visit to mark the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, ND. My question is, as I'm writing this, there is a Beech 58T, N831GE, transiting through the TFR at 12,000'. The TFR goes from the surface to 17,999'. Is it common for GA aircraft to get permission to transit through a Presidential TFR?

Side note, news sources are saying this is the first Presidential flight on the new Air Force One 747.
 
topgun260 said:
There is a VIP TFR currently around Bismarck, ND for President Trump's visit to mark the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, ND. My question is, as I'm writing this, there is a Beech 58T, N831GE, transiting through the TFR at 12,000'. The TFR goes from the surface to 17,999'. Is it common for GA aircraft to get permission to transit through a Presidential TFR?

Side note, news sources are saying this is the first Presidential flight on the new Air Force One 747.
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Yes. ATC maintains real time communications with the Secret Service.
 
luvflyin said:
Yes. ATC maintains real time communications with the Secret Service.
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I'm sure they do. I thought these were a bigger deal. So anybody can just call approach, ask to transit a live Presidential TFR and can get cleared through?
 
topgun260 said:
So anybody can just call approach, ask to transit a live Presidential TFR and can get cleared through?
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Slightly more complicated than that, but yes. VFR, you need to file (but don't have to activate) a flight plan, IFR you have to file and activate. Must maintain 2-way comms. Definitely a good idea to have a second radio and monitor Guard at all times. Also, you can only go through the outer TFR ring, unless you plan on landing at an airport in the inner ring, which adds a certain set of complications, as the Secret Service has to inspect you. If no SS arrangements can be made at your arrival airport, you have to land at another designated place first, get cavity searched there, then proceed to your final destination.
 
Or someone didn’t check TFRs and just flew through.
 
topgun260 said:
I'm sure they do. I thought these were a bigger deal. So anybody can just call approach, ask to transit a live Presidential TFR and can get cleared through?
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Around here, you can count on being denied even if you file that flight plan and jump through the hoops.
 
topgun260 said:
I'm sure they do. I thought these were a bigger deal. So anybody can just call approach, ask to transit a live Presidential TFR and can get cleared through?
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There's an inner ring and an outer ring. The inner ring tends to be truly no-go, except scheduled air carrier service, and things like police/fire helos.

In the outer ring, if you're on a flight plan, squaking a discrete transponder code, and in radio communication with ATC, they can clear you in or through.
 
And if they clear you a while before the TFR, ask again just as you're about to enter. That way you can be sure you're still meeting the "be in 2-way communication" part.
 
topgun260 said:
There is a VIP TFR currently around Bismarck, ND for President Trump's visit to mark the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, ND. My question is, as I'm writing this, there is a Beech 58T, N831GE, transiting through the TFR at 12,000'. The TFR goes from the surface to 17,999'. Is it common for GA aircraft to get permission to transit through a Presidential TFR?

Side note, news sources are saying this is the first Presidential flight on the new Air Force One 747.
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Yep, first service flight of the new VC-25B
 
His actual destination is Medora to visit the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, so its possible the Bismarck TFR was temporarily cold once the Ospreys left Bismarck for Medora.
 
midwestpa24 said:
His actual destination is Medora to visit the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, so its possible the Bismarck TFR was temporarily cold once the Ospreys left Bismarck for Medora.
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Does the Prez ride in the Ospreys?
 
luvflyin said:
Does the Prez ride in the Ospreys?
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Good question, I had to look it up. I assumed he did as I saw a fleet of the VIP Ospreys on ADS-B heading to ND the other day, but Google says no the President does not get to fly on them. They must have another helicopter available for him in ND.
 
midwestpa24 said:
Good question, I had to look it up. I assumed he did as I saw a fleet of the VIP Ospreys on ADS-B heading to ND the other day, but Google says no the President does not get to fly on them. They must have another helicopter available for him in ND.
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Maybe they drive
 
luvflyin said:
Maybe they drive
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Possibly, but I doubt it. Google says 133 miles between the two cities. That's a long stretch of rural I-94 for the SS to secure, plus they wouldn't want to waste several hours of the President's time on the roundtrip drive. My money is on a helicopter.
 
midwestpa24 said:
Possibly, but I doubt it. Google says 133 miles between the two cities. That's a long stretch of rural I-94 for the SS to secure, plus they wouldn't want to waste several hours of the President's time on the roundtrip drive. My money is on a helicopter.
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Do you think they’ll fly it from Andrews or transport it?
 
midwestpa24 said:
Possibly, but I doubt it. Google says 133 miles between the two cities. That's a long stretch of rural I-94 for the SS to secure, plus they wouldn't want to waste several hours of the President's time on the roundtrip drive. My money is on a helicopter.
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He took the train!
Of course, I read somewhere else that he only rode the train about 1/3 of a mile!
 
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