State of the Union TFR approaches
March 1 flight restrictions around Capitol
A temporary flight restriction will be in place March 1 in the Washington, D.C., area for President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address.
Extending 30 nautical miles from the VOR/DME at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the presidential TFR will start at the surface and include altitudes up to 18,000 feet msl from 8 to 11 p.m. Eastern time on March 1.
Public-use airports inside of the TFR include:
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
- South Capitol Street Heliport.
- Potomac Airfield.
- Washington Executive Airport/Hyde Field.
- College Park Airport.
- Freeway Airport.
- Maryland Airport.
- Tipton Airport.
- Montgomery County Airpark.
- Washington Dulles International Airport.
- Lee Airport.
- Davis Airport.
- Manassas Regional Airport/Harry P Davis Field.
- Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
- Leesburg Executive Airport.
VFR traffic pattern operations at airports within the special flight rules area and flight restricted zone will be suspended when the TFR is in effect.
However, pilots flying under Part 135 and Part 91 on active IFR flight plans may arrive/depart Washington Dulles International Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, and Manassas Regional Airport/Harry P Davis Field.
The FAA prohibits nearly all general aviation operations in the TFR, including model aircraft and drone flights, flight training (to include Department of Defense and law enforcement/air ambulance), practice instrument approaches, aerobatic flights, as well as flights by gliders and ultralights, parachute jumping, hang gliding, balloon flights (tethered or otherwise)s, maintenance test flights, aerial application, animal population control, banner towing, sightseeing, model rocketry, flights by seaplanes and amphibians, and aircraft or helicopters taking off or landing at a ship or private/corporate yacht.
AOPA encourages pilots to check notices to air missions frequently to have the most up-to-date information before flying.
