Narrative:

After returning from a photo operation in the traverse city michigan area, tvc tower informed us that they had been informed that we were within restr altitude of the 'sleeping bear dunes national lakeshore.' I informed the tower the lowest AGL we were was 400 ft AGL. The tower informed us that, that area's minimum AGL was 2000 ft AGL and he thought it might be higher since sept/tue. I informed the tower personnel I was sorry! However, on my VFR green bay sectional chart for that area, it shows the outlined area, but no notation as to altitudes or sua. The closest to anything I found on that chart was by 'isle royale national park.' same identify was about no aircraft landing on or within 4 1/2 mi. Tower personnel informed me that I would not find anything about the altitude restr on the green bay sectional, but I would find it on the michigan aeronautical chart 2004 edition. It's hard to find not being on the legend. I found one michigan chart another pilot had, and found a notation about altitude which reads, 'boundaries of national wildlife refuge areas. Aircraft should maintain 2000 ft AGL or higher.' in the legend it simply states 'national park area, not wildlife refuge area or any restrs.' I truly believe violations of this airspace can be avoided by: placing the identify of the airspace symbol in the legend of the 'green bay sectional' -- the federal government standard chart, not just a michigan aeronautical chart that is put out by the state of michigan with limited distribution. Also a box within the area of the sleeping bear dunes with the restrs on that airspace, like they did with the isle royale area. One additional thought is the wording, it should say 'shall...' not 'should maintain 2000 ft AGL.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI PLT TRESPASSES IN SLEEPING BEAR DUNES NATL LAKESHORE AIRSPACE NEAR TVC. HE IS UNAWARE OF CHART LEGEND REQUESTING THAT PLTS NOT FLY BELOW 2000 FT IN THE CHARTER AREA.

Narrative: AFTER RETURNING FROM A PHOTO OP IN THE TRAVERSE CITY MICHIGAN AREA, TVC TWR INFORMED US THAT THEY HAD BEEN INFORMED THAT WE WERE WITHIN RESTR ALT OF THE 'SLEEPING BEAR DUNES NATIONAL LAKESHORE.' I INFORMED THE TWR THE LOWEST AGL WE WERE WAS 400 FT AGL. THE TWR INFORMED US THAT, THAT AREA'S MINIMUM AGL WAS 2000 FT AGL AND HE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HIGHER SINCE SEPT/TUE. I INFORMED THE TWR PERSONNEL I WAS SORRY! HOWEVER, ON MY VFR GREEN BAY SECTIONAL CHART FOR THAT AREA, IT SHOWS THE OUTLINED AREA, BUT NO NOTATION AS TO ALTS OR SUA. THE CLOSEST TO ANYTHING I FOUND ON THAT CHART WAS BY 'ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK.' SAME IDENT WAS ABOUT NO ACFT LNDG ON OR WITHIN 4 1/2 MI. TWR PERSONNEL INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD NOT FIND ANYTHING ABOUT THE ALT RESTR ON THE GREEN BAY SECTIONAL, BUT I WOULD FIND IT ON THE MICHIGAN AERO CHART 2004 EDITION. IT'S HARD TO FIND NOT BEING ON THE LEGEND. I FOUND ONE MICHIGAN CHART ANOTHER PLT HAD, AND FOUND A NOTATION ABOUT ALT WHICH READS, 'BOUNDARIES OF NATL WILDLIFE REFUGE AREAS. ACFT SHOULD MAINTAIN 2000 FT AGL OR HIGHER.' IN THE LEGEND IT SIMPLY STATES 'NATL PARK AREA, NOT WILDLIFE REFUGE AREA OR ANY RESTRS.' I TRULY BELIEVE VIOLATIONS OF THIS AIRSPACE CAN BE AVOIDED BY: PLACING THE IDENT OF THE AIRSPACE SYMBOL IN THE LEGEND OF THE 'GREEN BAY SECTIONAL' -- THE FEDERAL GOV STANDARD CHART, NOT JUST A MICHIGAN AERO CHART THAT IS PUT OUT BY THE STATE OF MICHIGAN WITH LIMITED DISTRIBUTION. ALSO A BOX WITHIN THE AREA OF THE SLEEPING BEAR DUNES WITH THE RESTRS ON THAT AIRSPACE, LIKE THEY DID WITH THE ISLE ROYALE AREA. ONE ADDITIONAL THOUGHT IS THE WORDING, IT SHOULD SAY 'SHALL...' NOT 'SHOULD MAINTAIN 2000 FT AGL.'

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.