Obama's Vacation Bad News For Small Planes In Hawaii

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Dec 21st 2009 at 6:01AM

President Obama's first vacation in Hawaii as President may be good news for Hawaii's struggling tourism industry but according to Aero-News Network it's a big headache for those operating small planes in the area. A Presidential Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in place for most of Oahu will restrict most of the general aviation in the area during the Christmas holidays. The TFR does not affect regularly scheduled commercial passenger and all-cargo carriers operating under TSA-approved standard security programs and procedures. Flights that can't take place include training flights, practice instrument approaches, aerobatic flight, glider operations, parachute operations, ultralight, hang gliding, balloon operations, agriculture/crop dusting, animal population control flight operations, banner towing operations, sightseeing operations, model aircraft operations, model rocketry, and unmanned aircraft systems.

Pilots and aircraft operators in the area are said to be outraged by the restrictions. The restrictions are based on the ones used to protect President Bush while at his Crawford, Texas ranch but the area being covered is much different. Many pilots feel that their having their wings clipped because of a Presidential vacation is unfair. In the article a seaplane tour operator said that he was forced to but his business on hold for two weeks because of the TFR. For small businesses taking off these two busy weeks surrounding Christmas can be devastating.

Tags: aviation, hawaii, oahu, obama, travel

Filed under: Wings

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Cram Grebsivlas Dec 21st 2009 1:30PM

I started the year hoping for the best results from the new administration.
I've not agreed with some of the new decisions and agreed with some others.

The disturbing trend seems to be the growing evidence of self centeredness on the part of Barack.
From campaign promises that involved removing all troops from Iraq within 6 months of him entering office (won the election, never happened), to that so-called transparency, involving posting all laws on the internet for a few days before voting (won the election, never happened) to joining Dems and Reps for "bipartisan" governing (won the election , never happened "with a vengeance").
I can say this - He might be the most self centered, thoughtless president I can remember in 50+ years.

This 2 week TFR in Oahu will put another nail in the financial coffin of the already struggling flight schools and sightseeing companies on the island. Essentially, banning all flight = 2 week, unpaid furlough.
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?contentBlockId=68a7c8ab-4b61-4917-82ba-4ecf5b9f4005

As far as it being a good thing for the tourist' industry? Apparently, they've never seen what happens when the Pres is driving down the street, staying in the hotel, going to the beach that YOU want to be at..... It's a first class, business class and tourist class fiasco for anybody in close proximity.

Care for other people? Seems to be missing in Barack and his family..

John C. Randolph Dec 22nd 2009 10:38AM

Forcing a business to suspend operations for the convenience of the Secret Service is a "taking" under the constitutional definition of the term, and those people affected are entitled to seek redress in court. The gentleman operating the seaplane tours should sue.

-jcr