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This was a new one, after joking about being on the lookout for balloons yesterday I got this message in flight:
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A little off topic so do not let me completely derail this sub Slick, but the student in me wants to know while flying along and getting that message how do you take all the coordinates and actually map out the TFR? I understand you can grab a map and manually do it but is that what you are all doing? or if you are IFR you are just given headings anyway so it doesn't really matter?
In our case we got the heads up from dispatch along with a suggested reroute that had already been given to a flight that was probably 800 miles ahead. We left it up to ATC to either send us around or not since we’re in constant contact anyways.
In the case of the student or other VFR flier, I imagine that message would likely come to you over the radio. ATC exists to help so you could just ask if that airspace affects your intended path and if so they could make suggestions for going around. If you had an app like Foreflight and a cell signal you could probably refresh the map and have the temporary Class F depicted on screen. If you’re NORDO and mapless (like me, don’t judge) then you carry on blissfully unaware of a shoot-down taking place some seven miles above you.
I wasn't sure if it would show up on foreflight. when the pope was here (directly in the training area I use) they gave us the coordinates and I checked foreflight a bunch but it never showed up. Maybe I just missed it though.
I've seen them in the US often, just not over here.
I get checking TFRs (for VIP, sporting events, natural and manmade disasters like forest fires) before takeoff. They hide them as best they can in a forest of useless NOTAMs but they are there. I get that.
But there is no regulatory requirement for every flight to be in constant contact with ATC at all times. That’s impossible in Canada because of VHF limitations and even if that wasn’t a problem, ATC couldn’t do it.
These balloons don’t move fast. Sometimes they watch them for days as they dither. They can file a TFR if they choose, before they commit an act of war.
