Narrative:

The respondent departed hanscom field, bedford on a VFR pleasure flight to stonington, me, an island off of the maine coast south of bar harbor. After takeoff, impressed with the spectacular visibility for a summer day, it was decided to proceed up the coast remaining a mi or so off the coast. Well aware of the prohibited area, P-67 marked on the sectional chart, the respondent remained outside and above the marked area. At about mid day morning, just north of P-67 the respondent contacted portland approach to coordinate passage through the edge of the portland arsa. Approach control informed the respondent that P-67 had been violated and to call the radar supervisor at portland tower upon landing. The supervisor explained that P-67 is expanded when the president is 'in residence' from 1 mi radius to 4 mi radius and 1000 ft to 3000 ft height by NOTAM. He also added the comment 'don't feel alone. A lot of people do it.' telephone call VFR WX briefings from bridgeport FSS on the day before and day after this flight for flts to destinations in maine did not include this NOTAM. In another telephone call, on the next day, the respondent asked the bridgeport FSS briefer specifically if there were any NOTAMS for P-67 in maine and was told no. The respondent is a conscientious pilot/citizen and fully supports all reasonable efforts to protect the president. If the intent of the expanded P-67 is to protect the president, and not merely to harass the unwary pilot, then: 1) the original P-67 should be designated P-67A, the expanded p- 67 should be marked on the charts as P-67B and under notes that P-67B is activated by NOTAM when the president is 'in residence'. 2) FSS briefers should always include NOTAMS regarding special use airspace in routine VFR briefings.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA FLIES IN AREA OF EXPANDED PROHIBITED AREA NOT NOTAMED AS SUCH.

Narrative: THE RESPONDENT DEPARTED HANSCOM FIELD, BEDFORD ON A VFR PLEASURE FLT TO STONINGTON, ME, AN ISLAND OFF OF THE MAINE COAST S OF BAR HARBOR. AFTER TKOF, IMPRESSED WITH THE SPECTACULAR VISIBILITY FOR A SUMMER DAY, IT WAS DECIDED TO PROCEED UP THE COAST REMAINING A MI OR SO OFF THE COAST. WELL AWARE OF THE PROHIBITED AREA, P-67 MARKED ON THE SECTIONAL CHART, THE RESPONDENT REMAINED OUTSIDE AND ABOVE THE MARKED AREA. AT ABOUT MID DAY MORNING, JUST N OF P-67 THE RESPONDENT CONTACTED PORTLAND APCH TO COORDINATE PASSAGE THROUGH THE EDGE OF THE PORTLAND ARSA. APCH CTL INFORMED THE RESPONDENT THAT P-67 HAD BEEN VIOLATED AND TO CALL THE RADAR SUPVR AT PORTLAND TWR UPON LNDG. THE SUPVR EXPLAINED THAT P-67 IS EXPANDED WHEN THE PRESIDENT IS 'IN RESIDENCE' FROM 1 MI RADIUS TO 4 MI RADIUS AND 1000 FT TO 3000 FT HEIGHT BY NOTAM. HE ALSO ADDED THE COMMENT 'DON'T FEEL ALONE. A LOT OF PEOPLE DO IT.' TELEPHONE CALL VFR WX BRIEFINGS FROM BRIDGEPORT FSS ON THE DAY BEFORE AND DAY AFTER THIS FLT FOR FLTS TO DESTS IN MAINE DID NOT INCLUDE THIS NOTAM. IN ANOTHER TELEPHONE CALL, ON THE NEXT DAY, THE RESPONDENT ASKED THE BRIDGEPORT FSS BRIEFER SPECIFICALLY IF THERE WERE ANY NOTAMS FOR P-67 IN MAINE AND WAS TOLD NO. THE RESPONDENT IS A CONSCIENTIOUS PLT/CITIZEN AND FULLY SUPPORTS ALL REASONABLE EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE PRESIDENT. IF THE INTENT OF THE EXPANDED P-67 IS TO PROTECT THE PRESIDENT, AND NOT MERELY TO HARASS THE UNWARY PLT, THEN: 1) THE ORIGINAL P-67 SHOULD BE DESIGNATED P-67A, THE EXPANDED P- 67 SHOULD BE MARKED ON THE CHARTS AS P-67B AND UNDER NOTES THAT P-67B IS ACTIVATED BY NOTAM WHEN THE PRESIDENT IS 'IN RESIDENCE'. 2) FSS BRIEFERS SHOULD ALWAYS INCLUDE NOTAMS REGARDING SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE IN ROUTINE VFR BRIEFINGS.

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.