Always check the NOTAM

Bluedharma · **Posted:** Fri Sep 14, 2012 5:56 pm

Why you should always check the NOTAM (Notices To Airmen) before you fly…

This happened yesterday at 12:30PM in Denver, Colorado United States... on Sept 13, 2012...
President Obama was in town for a quick visit.

I was working in my office in South Denver and hear F-16s roar overhead.
I run outside with my camera and I see 2 F-16s with airbrakes on and one with the landing gear down…
Acting very aggressive in the turns. Very Aggressive..

No clue what happened… Lots of noise...

Again, no clue what was going on until I heard and saw this on the web .

And this is what happened…
http://webtrak.bksv.com/den

Code:

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - Two F-16 fighter aircraft under the direction of North American Aerospace Defense Command scrambled to 
Centennial Airport Thursday morning to intercept a civilian plane that entered a temporary flight restricted (TFR) area enforced because of the president's visit.

Following the intercept the Cessna 182 was directed to land and did without incident at Centennial Airport at 12:30 p.m.
 
The aircraft was to be met by law enforcement officers with the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office.
Capt. Glenn Thompson said the man, described as an older pilot, will not face any charges. Thompson said the pilot didn't check the flight sheet and 
didn't realize that there was an area he wasn't supposed to fly in.

NORAD's mission is to prevent air attacks against North America, safeguard the sovereign airspaces of the United States and Canada by responding to 
unknown, unwanted and unauthorized air activity approaching and operating within these airspaces, and provide aerospace and maritime warning for North America.

3:00min mark you can hear the “OH S###” moment…

Audio link… click to hear...
http://archive-server.liveatc.net/kapa/KAPA-Sep-13-2012-1830Z.mp3

Always check. Always.

Obergrafeter · **Posted:** Fri Sep 14, 2012 8:46 pm

Can't believe they just didn't shoot him down!

Rob Mears · **Posted:** Fri Sep 14, 2012 8:58 pm

Any idea what the dark colored pod is hanging under the fuselage? Weapon, radar, etc?

CAPFlyer · **Posted:** Sat Sep 15, 2012 1:21 am

That is the AN/AAQ-28 LITENING targeting pod. COANG was one of the first F-16 units to start using them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LITENING_targeting_pod

Bluedharma · **Posted:** Sat Sep 15, 2012 11:46 am

CAPFlyer wrote:

That is the AN/AAQ-28 LITENING targeting pod. COANG was one of the first F-16 units to start using them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LITENING_targeting_pod

You can see the pod a little better in these photos.

Ad Obergrafeter is right. I can't believe they didn't shoot him down! After all, he is in a 182, and he was headed away from the President at the time of intercept... And we all know that al qaeda sleeper cells prefer 182s that head away from a target when doing what they do. It is worth the $$$$$$$ to scramble 2 F-16s and disrupt even more air traffic than the VIP TFR did in the first place... (sarcasm)

Russ Blow · **Posted:** Sat Sep 15, 2012 2:36 pm

I feel bad for those F 16 pilots. That cant be fun flying with everything hanging out at that AOA and a few knots of above stall. But hey it keeps us safe from those wild Cessna 182s.

I understand a PIC needing to brief on NOTAMS before take off but this stuff is overkill.

JohnB · **Posted:** Sat Sep 15, 2012 11:20 pm

And during a campaign season, travel plans are always changing.
Can't be easy on the FAA or GA pilots.

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