Narrative:

I was en route to cowleys south prairie, accompanied by an aircraft of similar performance, but with no radio. We intended to fly the east shore of puget sound where we found good VMC below 1200 ft. After passing abeam paine field, I received a pilot WX report that VFR was not likely abeam seattle and that he was proceeding to renton (reporting VFR). I elected to do the same. Proceeding south from the evergreen point bridge, the ceiling was about 1500 ft and visibility 6 mi plus, but on the east shore of the lake and e-ward, it appeared to be IMC. Just prior to turning into the east channel (which was clear of the airshow restr airspace), I observed 3 chinook helicopters, one deploying a large american flag, northbound exiting the east channel. I elected to continue south to renton via the west shore of mercer island through the east half of the restr airspace and land straight-in to renton as a flight of 2. My reasoning was due to these circumstances: 1) marginal VFR conditions apparent in the east channel, 2) good VFR on the coast side of mercer island to renton, 3) possibility of other northbound participating aircraft in the east channel with poor visibility and little maneuvering room to avoid traffic, 4) inability to communicate with accompanying aircraft to explain last min turn and altitude changes or to call traffic, and 5) I knew the military aerobatic team were not on the program for airshow on this weekend. Had they been, I would not have been anywhere near washington, renton or boeing field. My suggestion is that during airshow activities, the east channel be used only for noon practicing flts and that traffic information in the east channel be exchanged through renton tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLT OF 2 SMA'S FLEW THROUGH A TEMPORARY RESTR AREA WHILE TRYING TO MAINTAIN VFR. #2 ACFT, NORDO. FORMATION FLT. SPECIAL INTEREST ACTIVITY SEATTLE AIRSHOW.

Narrative: I WAS ENRTE TO COWLEYS SOUTH PRAIRIE, ACCOMPANIED BY AN ACFT OF SIMILAR PERFORMANCE, BUT WITH NO RADIO. WE INTENDED TO FLY THE E SHORE OF PUGET SOUND WHERE WE FOUND GOOD VMC BELOW 1200 FT. AFTER PASSING ABEAM PAINE FIELD, I RECEIVED A PLT WX RPT THAT VFR WAS NOT LIKELY ABEAM SEATTLE AND THAT HE WAS PROCEEDING TO RENTON (RPTING VFR). I ELECTED TO DO THE SAME. PROCEEDING S FROM THE EVERGREEN POINT BRIDGE, THE CEILING WAS ABOUT 1500 FT AND VISIBILITY 6 MI PLUS, BUT ON THE E SHORE OF THE LAKE AND E-WARD, IT APPEARED TO BE IMC. JUST PRIOR TO TURNING INTO THE E CHANNEL (WHICH WAS CLR OF THE AIRSHOW RESTR AIRSPACE), I OBSERVED 3 CHINOOK HELIS, ONE DEPLOYING A LARGE AMERICAN FLAG, NBOUND EXITING THE E CHANNEL. I ELECTED TO CONTINUE S TO RENTON VIA THE W SHORE OF MERCER ISLAND THROUGH THE E HALF OF THE RESTR AIRSPACE AND LAND STRAIGHT-IN TO RENTON AS A FLT OF 2. MY REASONING WAS DUE TO THESE CIRCUMSTANCES: 1) MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS APPARENT IN THE E CHANNEL, 2) GOOD VFR ON THE COAST SIDE OF MERCER ISLAND TO RENTON, 3) POSSIBILITY OF OTHER NBOUND PARTICIPATING ACFT IN THE E CHANNEL WITH POOR VISIBILITY AND LITTLE MANEUVERING ROOM TO AVOID TFC, 4) INABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH ACCOMPANYING ACFT TO EXPLAIN LAST MIN TURN AND ALT CHANGES OR TO CALL TFC, AND 5) I KNEW THE MIL AEROBATIC TEAM WERE NOT ON THE PROGRAM FOR AIRSHOW ON THIS WEEKEND. HAD THEY BEEN, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANYWHERE NEAR WASHINGTON, RENTON OR BOEING FIELD. MY SUGGESTION IS THAT DURING AIRSHOW ACTIVITIES, THE E CHANNEL BE USED ONLY FOR NOON PRACTICING FLTS AND THAT TFC INFO IN THE E CHANNEL BE EXCHANGED THROUGH RENTON TWR.

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.