Narrative:

The FAA sua website with interactive map has been a real improvement over multiple calls to flight service for the 'latest' NOTAM information regarding restricted areas that are active by NOTAM. Like the phone briefing; however; apparently computers are not infallible; either. It was a beautiful day for a VFR flight to greenville; sc. Flying this route several times a year for the past 20 years; I am familiar with the restricted area 3005; and its intermittent operations by NOTAM; and have found the website very helpful for flight planning since its inception several years ago. Never have I found the restricted area active above 8000 ft. In december; the FAA sua site listed R3005 B&C active surface to 8000 ft and D&east surface to 7000 ft for most of the day when checked at XA00. When I attempted to confirm with jax center at XB30 departing airport; they were either too busy or didn't hear me as this is an area of weak reception. With the specific times and altitudes obtained from the previously reliable FAA website and numerous transits past 20 years with the restricted area never above 8000 ft; and the WX severe clear. I proceeded direct greenville at 8500 ft; above all the restricted airspace per NOTAM at FAA sua website for jax center and 3005 specifically. Greenville ground asked me to call sav approach upon arrival; which I did immediately. The supervisor on duty did not seem to be aware of the FAA website; but was courteous and understanding once I explained my careful preflight planning and the source of specific information about R3005. He said that although R3005 had been extended to an unusually high altitude at the time of my transit; no operations were in progress or affected. He had no explanation for the lack of this information on the official FAA website. After 40 years and 11000 hours of flying; GPS navigation and internet flight planning are two real improvements for all of us. Depending on a briefer to have the very latest information for every NOTAM remains a variable experience. Seems like the FAA website would have the very latest information. With an interactive map that allows selection by center and time; it has worked very well in the past. Given yesterday's experience; however; guess the only sure way to know the status of a restricted area is to contact the controlling facility. It is hard to understand why the information on the FAA website should not be correct. Hopefully that will improve. I will continue to use that information for planning -- but it's not very useful if not correct -- so will also contact ATC before over-flight in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LIGHT AIRCRAFT PILOT REPORTS FLYING THROUGH R3005C AT 8500 FT TO DISCOVER AFTER THE FACT THAT THE AREA IS HOT ABOVE THIS ALTITUDE. NOTAM CHECK PRIOR TO DEPARTURE DID NOT INDICATE THIS TO BE THE CASE.

Narrative: THE FAA SUA WEBSITE WITH INTERACTIVE MAP HAS BEEN A REAL IMPROVEMENT OVER MULTIPLE CALLS TO FLT SERVICE FOR THE 'LATEST' NOTAM INFO REGARDING RESTRICTED AREAS THAT ARE ACTIVE BY NOTAM. LIKE THE PHONE BRIEFING; HOWEVER; APPARENTLY COMPUTERS ARE NOT INFALLIBLE; EITHER. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR A VFR FLT TO GREENVILLE; SC. FLYING THIS ROUTE SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS; I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE RESTRICTED AREA 3005; AND ITS INTERMITTENT OPS BY NOTAM; AND HAVE FOUND THE WEBSITE VERY HELPFUL FOR FLT PLANNING SINCE ITS INCEPTION SEVERAL YEARS AGO. NEVER HAVE I FOUND THE RESTRICTED AREA ACTIVE ABOVE 8000 FT. IN DECEMBER; THE FAA SUA SITE LISTED R3005 B&C ACTIVE SURFACE TO 8000 FT AND D&E SURFACE TO 7000 FT FOR MOST OF THE DAY WHEN CHECKED AT XA00. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO CONFIRM WITH JAX CENTER AT XB30 DEPARTING ARPT; THEY WERE EITHER TOO BUSY OR DIDN'T HEAR ME AS THIS IS AN AREA OF WEAK RECEPTION. WITH THE SPECIFIC TIMES AND ALTITUDES OBTAINED FROM THE PREVIOUSLY RELIABLE FAA WEBSITE AND NUMEROUS TRANSITS PAST 20 YEARS WITH THE RESTRICTED AREA NEVER ABOVE 8000 FT; AND THE WX SEVERE CLEAR. I PROCEEDED DIRECT GREENVILLE AT 8500 FT; ABOVE ALL THE RESTRICTED AIRSPACE PER NOTAM AT FAA SUA WEBSITE FOR JAX CTR AND 3005 SPECIFICALLY. GREENVILLE GND ASKED ME TO CALL SAV APCH UPON ARR; WHICH I DID IMMEDIATELY. THE SUPVR ON DUTY DID NOT SEEM TO BE AWARE OF THE FAA WEBSITE; BUT WAS COURTEOUS AND UNDERSTANDING ONCE I EXPLAINED MY CAREFUL PREFLT PLANNING AND THE SOURCE OF SPECIFIC INFO ABOUT R3005. HE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH R3005 HAD BEEN EXTENDED TO AN UNUSUALLY HIGH ALT AT THE TIME OF MY TRANSIT; NO OPERATIONS WERE IN PROGRESS OR AFFECTED. HE HAD NO EXPLANATION FOR THE LACK OF THIS INFO ON THE OFFICIAL FAA WEBSITE. AFTER 40 YEARS AND 11000 HOURS OF FLYING; GPS NAV AND INTERNET FLIGHT PLANNING ARE TWO REAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR ALL OF US. DEPENDING ON A BRIEFER TO HAVE THE VERY LATEST INFO FOR EVERY NOTAM REMAINS A VARIABLE EXPERIENCE. SEEMS LIKE THE FAA WEBSITE WOULD HAVE THE VERY LATEST INFO. WITH AN INTERACTIVE MAP THAT ALLOWS SELECTION BY CENTER AND TIME; IT HAS WORKED VERY WELL IN THE PAST. GIVEN YESTERDAY'S EXPERIENCE; HOWEVER; GUESS THE ONLY SURE WAY TO KNOW THE STATUS OF A RESTRICTED AREA IS TO CONTACT THE CONTROLLING FACILITY. IT IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE INFORMATION ON THE FAA WEBSITE SHOULD NOT BE CORRECT. HOPEFULLY THAT WILL IMPROVE. I WILL CONTINUE TO USE THAT INFO FOR PLANNING -- BUT IT'S NOT VERY USEFUL IF NOT CORRECT -- SO WILL ALSO CONTACT ATC BEFORE OVER-FLIGHT IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.