Narrative:

I was flying an small aircraft up the coast from seattle to anchorage. The plane is based at merrill field, in anchorage. We had filed IFR from sitca, our refueling airport, to merrill, with a cruising altitude of 10,000'. WX and visibility were excellent, cavu by the time we arrived at prince wm sound. After passing west of jom VOR, I cancelled IFR and began a cruise descent in VFR conditions, to approximately 1500'. I was curious about the recent oil spill and wanted to take a closer look at the waters of the sound. I continued west by pilotage to portage pass, ascending to 2500' to cross the pass. As I entered the bay east of whittier, I was overtaken at safe distance by an medium large transport. We maintained visual separation without difficulty. I landed uneventfully at merrill field, and drove home to find among my mail a circular from the FAA, announcing the creation of restr airspace in prince wm sound. This was the first I'd heard of it 'sfar-55'. In retrospect, I had not been warned of the new restrictions during my WX briefing in sitca, nor was I warned by anchorage center when I cancelled IFR while entering the sound. I'd flown through the sound many times over the years and had no reason to expect new restrictions. Having been away for a 3-WEEK vacation, it turned out I had to fly through the affected area in order to arrive home and read about it in the mail. At no time during the flight were lives or property placed in jeopardy, nor were any FARS violated (aside from the new restriction). I would urge the FAA to better advertise the new rules and to include them in pilot briefings.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA UNAWARE OF NEW RESTRICTED AIRSPACE INADVERTENTLY FLEW THROUGH THE AREA.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AN SMA UP THE COAST FROM SEATTLE TO ANCHORAGE. THE PLANE IS BASED AT MERRILL FIELD, IN ANCHORAGE. WE HAD FILED IFR FROM SITCA, OUR REFUELING ARPT, TO MERRILL, WITH A CRUISING ALT OF 10,000'. WX AND VISIBILITY WERE EXCELLENT, CAVU BY THE TIME WE ARRIVED AT PRINCE WM SOUND. AFTER PASSING W OF JOM VOR, I CANCELLED IFR AND BEGAN A CRUISE DSCNT IN VFR CONDITIONS, TO APPROX 1500'. I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE RECENT OIL SPILL AND WANTED TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE WATERS OF THE SOUND. I CONTINUED W BY PILOTAGE TO PORTAGE PASS, ASCENDING TO 2500' TO CROSS THE PASS. AS I ENTERED THE BAY E OF WHITTIER, I WAS OVERTAKEN AT SAFE DISTANCE BY AN MLG. WE MAINTAINED VISUAL SEPARATION WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. I LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AT MERRILL FIELD, AND DROVE HOME TO FIND AMONG MY MAIL A CIRCULAR FROM THE FAA, ANNOUNCING THE CREATION OF RESTR AIRSPACE IN PRINCE WM SOUND. THIS WAS THE FIRST I'D HEARD OF IT 'SFAR-55'. IN RETROSPECT, I HAD NOT BEEN WARNED OF THE NEW RESTRICTIONS DURING MY WX BRIEFING IN SITCA, NOR WAS I WARNED BY ANCHORAGE CENTER WHEN I CANCELLED IFR WHILE ENTERING THE SOUND. I'D FLOWN THROUGH THE SOUND MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS AND HAD NO REASON TO EXPECT NEW RESTRICTIONS. HAVING BEEN AWAY FOR A 3-WEEK VACATION, IT TURNED OUT I HAD TO FLY THROUGH THE AFFECTED AREA IN ORDER TO ARRIVE HOME AND READ ABOUT IT IN THE MAIL. AT NO TIME DURING THE FLT WERE LIVES OR PROPERTY PLACED IN JEOPARDY, NOR WERE ANY FARS VIOLATED (ASIDE FROM THE NEW RESTRICTION). I WOULD URGE THE FAA TO BETTER ADVERTISE THE NEW RULES AND TO INCLUDE THEM IN PLT BRIEFINGS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.