Narrative:

I was on a direct route VFR flight from MA01 to pwm using LORAN and visual navigation. At a point 17 NM ssw of the portland airport after listening to the ATIS on 119.05, (the last part of which was garbled, something about avoiding prohibited area P67) I called pwm approach on 119.75, was given a discrete squawk code and idented. At approximately 12 mi I was told to call the tower supervisor on the ground. Then was told that I had violated P67. At the time of passing to the east of P67 I estimate that I was approximately 2 mi east and 500 ft above the published limits of P67. Under the high overcast grey sky conditions over the water off the irregular coast of maine it is very difficult to judge distance let alone pick out president george bush's summer house that I wouldn't know if I saw it. After I was on the ground I was told that on 8/91, 3 days prior, the diameter of P67 had been increased from less than 2 mi to 8 mi and the ceiling raised from 1000 ft to 3000 ft. To me this is a major change in airspace restriction with very inadequate notification of airmen who are likely to be in this area. My only indication was a garbled message on ATIS. If I didn't happen to be landing at pwm (a controled field) I still would not know of the change. The only notification was by local NOTAM. Every pilot knows that probably 99 percent of the VFR flts made have no knowledge of area NOTAMS. They ar not sent to pilots nor are they at least sent to airport mgrs to post on their local bulletin boards. (I am an airport manager). In the past I have received airspace change notices of this nature. I could cite several. The FAA created a serious trap for the airmen whom it is supposed to provide guidance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT FLYING NEAR PROHIBITED ARA INFORMED THAT BOUNDARIES HAVE BEEN CHANGED AND HE HAS ENTERED THE PROHIBITED AREA.

Narrative: I WAS ON A DIRECT RTE VFR FLT FROM MA01 TO PWM USING LORAN AND VISUAL NAV. AT A POINT 17 NM SSW OF THE PORTLAND ARPT AFTER LISTENING TO THE ATIS ON 119.05, (THE LAST PART OF WHICH WAS GARBLED, SOMETHING ABOUT AVOIDING PROHIBITED AREA P67) I CALLED PWM APCH ON 119.75, WAS GIVEN A DISCRETE SQUAWK CODE AND IDENTED. AT APPROX 12 MI I WAS TOLD TO CALL THE TWR SUPVR ON THE GND. THEN WAS TOLD THAT I HAD VIOLATED P67. AT THE TIME OF PASSING TO THE E OF P67 I ESTIMATE THAT I WAS APPROX 2 MI E AND 500 FT ABOVE THE PUBLISHED LIMITS OF P67. UNDER THE HIGH OVCST GREY SKY CONDITIONS OVER THE WATER OFF THE IRREGULAR COAST OF MAINE IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO JUDGE DISTANCE LET ALONE PICK OUT PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH'S SUMMER HOUSE THAT I WOULDN'T KNOW IF I SAW IT. AFTER I WAS ON THE GND I WAS TOLD THAT ON 8/91, 3 DAYS PRIOR, THE DIAMETER OF P67 HAD BEEN INCREASED FROM LESS THAN 2 MI TO 8 MI AND THE CEILING RAISED FROM 1000 FT TO 3000 FT. TO ME THIS IS A MAJOR CHANGE IN AIRSPACE RESTRICTION WITH VERY INADEQUATE NOTIFICATION OF AIRMEN WHO ARE LIKELY TO BE IN THIS AREA. MY ONLY INDICATION WAS A GARBLED MESSAGE ON ATIS. IF I DIDN'T HAPPEN TO BE LNDG AT PWM (A CTLED FIELD) I STILL WOULD NOT KNOW OF THE CHANGE. THE ONLY NOTIFICATION WAS BY LCL NOTAM. EVERY PLT KNOWS THAT PROBABLY 99 PERCENT OF THE VFR FLTS MADE HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF AREA NOTAMS. THEY AR NOT SENT TO PLTS NOR ARE THEY AT LEAST SENT TO ARPT MGRS TO POST ON THEIR LCL BULLETIN BOARDS. (I AM AN ARPT MGR). IN THE PAST I HAVE RECEIVED AIRSPACE CHANGE NOTICES OF THIS NATURE. I COULD CITE SEVERAL. THE FAA CREATED A SERIOUS TRAP FOR THE AIRMEN WHOM IT IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE.

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.