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On Sunday morning, July 14, a last-minute Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) abruptly closed Somerset Airport (SMQ) in Bedminster, New Jersey. The airport is located less than two miles from the Trump National Golf Course. The TFR was implemented following former President Trump's travel to his New Jersey residence after an assassination attempt the previous day.
Steven Parker, a veteran Air Force pilot and third-generation co-operator of SMQ, is familiar with TFRs closing down his airport from Trump's first term. However, this recent TFR was different—a three-mile circle centered on Trump National with air traffic restricted from the surface to a ceiling of just 3,000 feet. This contrasts with the 30-mile TFRs that were common during Trump's presidency, which affected several local airports and overflying traffic.
With the upcoming election suggesting a potential recurrence of presidential TFRs, Parker reminded AVweb that he and others had successfully petitioned Congress in 2018 to explore relief for general aviation (GA) airports impacted by such restrictions. As part of the FAA reauthorization in 2018, Parker and the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Coalition (MAAC) advocated for transposing security measures similar to those enacted for the "Maryland Three" airports inside Washington D.C.'s restricted area. These measures allow properly vetted private pilots to fly to and from GA airports within presidential TFRs.
