Narrative:

5 weeks now I have been flying a C172 traffic watch. For plus or minus 2.5 hours in the morning and plus or minus 2.5 hours in the afternoon I circle memphis, tn, plus or minus 70 percent of the time within class B airspace. This afternoon of the questionable incident I launched out of olv, as usual checked in with memphis approach control, they replied, 'radar contact cleared into class B airspace, where would you like to go.' I replied, 'I would like to continue northbound.' they said 'roger cleared as requested.' I proceeded to the airspace directly over the federal prison because of a riot that had occurred there to advise motorists for rush hour how to avoid this area and so the disc jockey riding with me could get some pictures and give a live radio broadcast. A civilian helicopter was flying tree top level below me. I circled the prison approximately 6 or 7 times when approach called me and advised me that memphis police department requested I leave the airspace, which I did immediately! The reason why I went there and felt no reservations at all is because I continually fly over the prison approximately 8-10 times in the morning and 8-10 times in the afternoon, for a total of 16-20 times a day and so does my competition. Memphis approach control as well as memphis tower have never said anything about my position within that airspace. This problem was caused by the FAA not stating in my special operations specifications to avoid that airspace during my traffic watch. Corrective action: the FAA should amend my operations specifications to clearly state a defined parameter to stay clear of the federal prison. Note: the federal prison is adjacent to interstate 40 which is a major clogged car traffic artery where many small and serious accidents occur. My job is to patrol this interstate and many others in memphis and advise motorists of back ups, wrecks, and alternate rtes home and to work.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT FLEW OVER TEMPORARY RESTR AREA.

Narrative: 5 WKS NOW I HAVE BEEN FLYING A C172 TFC WATCH. FOR PLUS OR MINUS 2.5 HRS IN THE MORNING AND PLUS OR MINUS 2.5 HRS IN THE AFTERNOON I CIRCLE MEMPHIS, TN, PLUS OR MINUS 70 PERCENT OF THE TIME WITHIN CLASS B AIRSPACE. THIS AFTERNOON OF THE QUESTIONABLE INCIDENT I LAUNCHED OUT OF OLV, AS USUAL CHKED IN WITH MEMPHIS APCH CTL, THEY REPLIED, 'RADAR CONTACT CLRED INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE, WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO.' I REPLIED, 'I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE NBOUND.' THEY SAID 'ROGER CLRED AS REQUESTED.' I PROCEEDED TO THE AIRSPACE DIRECTLY OVER THE FEDERAL PRISON BECAUSE OF A RIOT THAT HAD OCCURRED THERE TO ADVISE MOTORISTS FOR RUSH HR HOW TO AVOID THIS AREA AND SO THE DISC JOCKEY RIDING WITH ME COULD GET SOME PICTURES AND GIVE A LIVE RADIO BROADCAST. A CIVILIAN HELI WAS FLYING TREE TOP LEVEL BELOW ME. I CIRCLED THE PRISON APPROX 6 OR 7 TIMES WHEN APCH CALLED ME AND ADVISED ME THAT MEMPHIS POLICE DEPT REQUESTED I LEAVE THE AIRSPACE, WHICH I DID IMMEDIATELY! THE REASON WHY I WENT THERE AND FELT NO RESERVATIONS AT ALL IS BECAUSE I CONTINUALLY FLY OVER THE PRISON APPROX 8-10 TIMES IN THE MORNING AND 8-10 TIMES IN THE AFTERNOON, FOR A TOTAL OF 16-20 TIMES A DAY AND SO DOES MY COMPETITION. MEMPHIS APCH CTL AS WELL AS MEMPHIS TWR HAVE NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT MY POS WITHIN THAT AIRSPACE. THIS PROB WAS CAUSED BY THE FAA NOT STATING IN MY SPECIAL OPS SPECS TO AVOID THAT AIRSPACE DURING MY TFC WATCH. CORRECTIVE ACTION: THE FAA SHOULD AMEND MY OPS SPECS TO CLRLY STATE A DEFINED PARAMETER TO STAY CLR OF THE FEDERAL PRISON. NOTE: THE FEDERAL PRISON IS ADJACENT TO INTERSTATE 40 WHICH IS A MAJOR CLOGGED CAR TFC ARTERY WHERE MANY SMALL AND SERIOUS ACCIDENTS OCCUR. MY JOB IS TO PATROL THIS INTERSTATE AND MANY OTHERS IN MEMPHIS AND ADVISE MOTORISTS OF BACK UPS, WRECKS, AND ALTERNATE RTES HOME AND TO WORK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.