BEDMINSTER, NJ — Just one day after Bedminster was designated as a 'residence of the President,' the Federal Aviation Administration issued a VIP Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in the Morristown and Bedminster Township region for 18 days, from Aug. 3 to 20.

"If the dates are correct, this will devastate many New Jersey airports," said Vice President of Mid-Atlantic Aviation Coalition Robert Checchio.

Checchio, a pilot who has a Piper Archer single engine four-seat aircraft at Somerset Airport in Bedminster, is concerned about the impact of Trump's visits to the local aviation community.

There are two major components when a VIP TFR is issued. First, there is a no-fly zone issued for anything within a 10 mile radius of Trump's National Golf Course in Bedminster. This essentially shuts down airports such as Somerset Airport and Solberg-Hunterdon Airport in Whitehouse Station.



"North Jersey Medivac units based in Somerset are still able to operate, but any non-government flights are grounded for the duration of the TFR," Checcchio said. The second part of the TFR is the second ring, which impacts a much larger radius of airports. The second ring encompasses a 30-mile radius which includes 17 other airports such as Princeton Airport, Old Bridge Airport and Central Jersey Regional Airport in Hillsborough.

Flights within the 30-mile radius can still have aircrafts fly out of the airport to somewhere outside the ring or land from outside the ring to an airport inside.

However, all other operations are prohibited such as flight training, aerobatics, hot air ballooning, helicopters, skydiving, biplane rides and technically even flying a model airplane.

"Alexandria Field Airport in Pittstown has a very robust sky diving operation and that has to be closed down during the TFR," Checchio said. "Blairstown Airport has a glider club where they give people biplane rides on the weekend. That is also grounded. Any type of sightseeing flights are grounded as well." The 35th Annual QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning is one of the biggest events around. It is a three-day event held July 28-30 with up to 100 hot air balloons, concerts, crafters, vendors and more.