NORAD warns Florida pilots of busy VIP TFR season
More than 60 violations since January 2025
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) led a multiagency presentation for the general aviation community in South Florida ahead of what it expects to be a busy winter season. The message: "Check your notams."
The Continental U.S. NORAD Region held an open house for local pilots at President Donald J Trump International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, in early October.
Pilots, flight instructors, and local business owners heard from U.S. Air Force fighter pilots who intercept pilots who violate temporary flight restrictions, as well as FAA, TSA, and U.S. Coast Guard officials. Topics included TFR procedures, airspace security, intercept protocols, and local operations during VIP movements.
"Preparation is key. Before you ever step out to the aircraft... check your notams," said the West Palm Beach airport's Air Traffic Manager Mark Siviglia, who summarized the requirements for flying into the outer ring of a VIP TFR as, "squawk, talk, and flight plan."
"If you're on the ground, do all three of those before you depart. If you're outside the TFR ring, do all three of these before you come in," Siviglia added.
Since January 2025, NORAD said, it has responded to more than 60 pilots who have violated TFRs in South Florida.
A U.S. Air Force officer who briefed the group on intercepts said most of the pilots involved are unaware of the TFR. There has also been an increase in the number of pilots who properly brief and file but fail to dial in their assigned transponder code and depart squawking 1200.
Ahead of TFRs, NORAD and the FAA raise awareness through a number of channels, including AOPA and other aviation media, the FAA's General Aviation Outreach Facebook page, direct outreach to airport tenants, and email notifications for upcoming restrictions.
NORAD also calls pilots when recurring TFRs begin in a region. Ahead of large events like the Super Bowl or world leader meetings such as the G20—which is scheduled to be held in Doral on December 14 and 15—NORAD partners with the Civil Air Patrol to deliver kneeboards, stickers, and other materials to airports within 100 nautical miles.
NORAD encourages pilots to check notams on the FAA website for the most up-to-date information and says pilots who skip that step are the "primary driver" of violations.
