An astar 350 helicopter pilot unknowingly flies a VFR cross country flight when the operations were ...

Attributes
ACN	525720
Time
Date	200109
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : l35.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Experimental
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10.1 flight time total : 1021.8 flight time type : 946.5
ASRS Report	525720
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	FAA
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight was brief to big bear airport, also an uncontrolled field. Before both takeoffs and lndgs, I both talked with unicom's and transmitted blind information for my movements and flts. During both warm-ups I also listened to local AWOS. The entire flight was through class east airspace and no control zone or airport traffic areas. During flight, I saw and contacted a helicopter on a CTAF frequency to see and be seen. I landed at big bear city airport next to a bell helicopter that had just landed. We both had talked to the unicom for landing advisories. Other light aircraft had been taking off and landing in the morning. While I was extremely aware of the attack in ny and was carefully watching news on television, I was under the impression that 8 days later VFR restrs had be removed. At no time did either unicoms, AWOS, or local law enforcement agencies ever advise me that VFR flight was restred at that time. I have been a pilot for almost 30 yrs and never had any infraction. I would never have flown this flight if I had any idea the airspace was restred. There clearly needs to be a much better, coordination active plan in place to notify pilots of such restrs. AWOS and ATIS at a min should automatically transmit such information as should unicoms.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ASTAR 350 HELI PLT UNKNOWINGLY FLIES A VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLT WHEN THE OPS WERE PROHIBITED UNDER THE SPECIAL NATIONAL SECURITY NOTAM.

Narrative: FLT WAS BRIEF TO BIG BEAR ARPT, ALSO AN UNCONTROLLED FIELD. BEFORE BOTH TAKEOFFS AND LNDGS, I BOTH TALKED WITH UNICOM'S AND TRANSMITTED BLIND INFO FOR MY MOVEMENTS AND FLTS. DURING BOTH WARM-UPS I ALSO LISTENED TO LOCAL AWOS. THE ENTIRE FLT WAS THROUGH CLASS E AIRSPACE AND NO CTL ZONE OR ARPT TFC AREAS. DURING FLT, I SAW AND CONTACTED A HELI ON A CTAF FREQ TO SEE AND BE SEEN. I LANDED AT BIG BEAR CITY ARPT NEXT TO A BELL HELI THAT HAD JUST LANDED. WE BOTH HAD TALKED TO THE UNICOM FOR LNDG ADVISORIES. OTHER LIGHT ACFT HAD BEEN TAKING OFF AND LNDG IN THE MORNING. WHILE I WAS EXTREMELY AWARE OF THE ATTACK IN NY AND WAS CAREFULLY WATCHING NEWS ON TELEVISION, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT 8 DAYS LATER VFR RESTRS HAD BE REMOVED. AT NO TIME DID EITHER UNICOMS, AWOS, OR LCL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES EVER ADVISE ME THAT VFR FLT WAS RESTRED AT THAT TIME. I HAVE BEEN A PLT FOR ALMOST 30 YRS AND NEVER HAD ANY INFRACTION. I WOULD NEVER HAVE FLOWN THIS FLT IF I HAD ANY IDEA THE AIRSPACE WAS RESTRED. THERE CLRLY NEEDS TO BE A MUCH BETTER, COORD ACTIVE PLAN IN PLACE TO NOTIFY PLTS OF SUCH RESTRS. AWOS AND ATIS AT A MIN SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY TRANSMIT SUCH INFO AS SHOULD UNICOMS.

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.

An astar 350 helicopter pilot unknowingly flies a VFR cross country flight when the operations were prohibited under the special national security NOTAM.