President’s Arrival Prevents Fire Helicopters From Fighting Los Angeles Canyon Blaze

[NYCA News]

NYCAviation:

President’s Arrival Prevents Fire Helicopters From Fighting Los Angeles Canyon Blaze (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nycaviation/~3/6DbyqTqhnm8/)

Los Angeles Fire Department firefighting helicopters were reportedly ordered not to take off to fight a brush fire late Wednesday afternoon due to a no-fly zone imposed for the arrival of President Barack Obama aboard Air Force One.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/nycaviation/~4/6DbyqTqhnm8
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[captmjk16]

Even with the positive outcome (no injuries/damage) this is insane, are the firefighting helicopters really that much of a danger to AF1? I'm not sure which ignorant bureaucrat is to blame, but this is insanity! Anyone flying a chartered aircraft under instrument rules can do whatever they want, but government aircraft working to protect property and lives are not...

[Gerard]

Even with the positive outcome (no injuries/damage) this is insane, are the firefighting helicopters really that much of a danger to AF1? I'm not sure which ignorant bureaucrat is to blame, but this is insanity! Anyone flying a chartered aircraft under instrument rules can do whatever they want, but government aircraft working to protect property and lives are not...

It would be interesting to know WHO ordered the copters NOT to take-off.

[Mateo]

This is a story based off of a tweet from somebody with no apparent connection to any sort of government agency anywhere. Why is this even in a category called "news"?

[captmjk16]

This is a story based off of a tweet from somebody with no apparent connection to any sort of government agency anywhere. Why is this even in a category called "news"?

Just because the government didn't report it themselves (and why would they knowing how it makes them look?) doesn't mean it's not true. I've personally seen the lengths people have to go to in order to get up in the air during a TFR, it is ridiculous, yes I understand the need to protect the president, but with a constant CAP over/around AF1 is it really necessary to restrict flight training or firefighting 9+ miles away? Even without a quoted source, does someone overhearing a pilot or dispatcher saying something about not being allowed to fly make it any less true?


It would be interesting to know WHO ordered the copters NOT to take-off.

Policy would likely dictate it without any direct orders, my guess is the Secret Service may have had a say in it, but I'd have a hard time believing anyone would knowingly restrict firefighting aircraft from taking off.