Press helicopter penetrates temporary restr area.

Attributes
ACN	235481
Time
Date	199303
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cnw airport : act
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : act
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	235481
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Problem: restr airspace in the waco, tx, area. On mar/sun/93 a situation arose where a 5 mi radius restr area was put into effect. During the first 3 days of flying all helicopters were working with approach control at waco regional. Anytime we would lift off, approach would automatically give each aircraft a code. This was setting a precedent that should have continued. This is what we were becoming used to. On wed, the note that the tower was taking a lot of heat and people involved on the ground were not too happy with the press, I took off and assumed I would get a code, but instead tower asked if I wanted flight following or VFR flight. When tower asked this, I thought that maybe they didn't want to control us because we have all been there a few days and were used to the restr area. By the time they asked, I was already close to tstc tower, still thinking that waco regional would still control me. The night before, when talking to the tower, I asked why regional controled the airspace around tstc, and was told that tstc was a NFCT and they controled that airspace. Anyway, back to this story. I made a southwest turn and flew the same route that I've been flying for 3 days and tower said to call when I landed. During the rest of the day, many conversations were had with approach control about the changes that were being made even as we flew. We don't mind obeying the rules, just don't change them on us and then try to get us in trouble. If this raid by the atf would have been pulled off and they looked good, the press would have been welcomed with open arms. On the most part, waco approach did a great job. I realize that approach didn't have to control us at all, but they were and set a precedent. They should have stayed with the same game plan. We really only had 1 day that was a little confusing. I know I am putting some personal feeling down here but I take my job and flying seriously.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRESS HELI PENETRATES TEMPORARY RESTR AREA.

Narrative: PROB: RESTR AIRSPACE IN THE WACO, TX, AREA. ON MAR/SUN/93 A SIT AROSE WHERE A 5 MI RADIUS RESTR AREA WAS PUT INTO EFFECT. DURING THE FIRST 3 DAYS OF FLYING ALL HELIS WERE WORKING WITH APCH CTL AT WACO REGIONAL. ANYTIME WE WOULD LIFT OFF, APCH WOULD AUTOMATICALLY GIVE EACH ACFT A CODE. THIS WAS SETTING A PRECEDENT THAT SHOULD HAVE CONTINUED. THIS IS WHAT WE WERE BECOMING USED TO. ON WED, THE NOTE THAT THE TWR WAS TAKING A LOT OF HEAT AND PEOPLE INVOLVED ON THE GND WERE NOT TOO HAPPY WITH THE PRESS, I TOOK OFF AND ASSUMED I WOULD GET A CODE, BUT INSTEAD TWR ASKED IF I WANTED FLT FOLLOWING OR VFR FLT. WHEN TWR ASKED THIS, I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO CTL US BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL BEEN THERE A FEW DAYS AND WERE USED TO THE RESTR AREA. BY THE TIME THEY ASKED, I WAS ALREADY CLOSE TO TSTC TWR, STILL THINKING THAT WACO REGIONAL WOULD STILL CTL ME. THE NIGHT BEFORE, WHEN TALKING TO THE TWR, I ASKED WHY REGIONAL CTLED THE AIRSPACE AROUND TSTC, AND WAS TOLD THAT TSTC WAS A NFCT AND THEY CTLED THAT AIRSPACE. ANYWAY, BACK TO THIS STORY. I MADE A SW TURN AND FLEW THE SAME RTE THAT I'VE BEEN FLYING FOR 3 DAYS AND TWR SAID TO CALL WHEN I LANDED. DURING THE REST OF THE DAY, MANY CONVERSATIONS WERE HAD WITH APCH CTL ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT WERE BEING MADE EVEN AS WE FLEW. WE DON'T MIND OBEYING THE RULES, JUST DON'T CHANGE THEM ON US AND THEN TRY TO GET US IN TROUBLE. IF THIS RAID BY THE ATF WOULD HAVE BEEN PULLED OFF AND THEY LOOKED GOOD, THE PRESS WOULD HAVE BEEN WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS. ON THE MOST PART, WACO APCH DID A GREAT JOB. I REALIZE THAT APCH DIDN'T HAVE TO CTL US AT ALL, BUT THEY WERE AND SET A PRECEDENT. THEY SHOULD HAVE STAYED WITH THE SAME GAME PLAN. WE REALLY ONLY HAD 1 DAY THAT WAS A LITTLE CONFUSING. I KNOW I AM PUTTING SOME PERSONAL FEELING DOWN HERE BUT I TAKE MY JOB AND FLYING SERIOUSLY.

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.