Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 8; Flight Crew Total 345; Flight Crew Type 330
Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Airspace Structure; Human Factors; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Procedure
I was operating a VFR Animal Rescue flight to HPN under overcast (3 dogs aboard). When I approached the NYC Bravo; ATC (La Guardia) assigned a discrete transponder and cleared me up the Hudson exclusion at 1500 (directed to follow the west bank; despite traveling north). I was handed over to Newark Tower; who double-checked my intentions and stated that I would be transgressing a TFR. Although I was obtaining real-time ADS-B feeds and showing TFR's on my ForeFlight display; no nearby TFR was being displayed. The Controller told me it was for Yankee Stadium and routed me west around the TFR and then back east to the Hudson at Alpine Tower. I was then handed over to NY Approach for approach to HPN; and NY Approach ordered me to remain clear of the HPN Class D. I circled for a while; contacted Approach again; and was told that HPN was now IFR. (I was at 1;500 clear of clouds and could see HPN). I requested SVFR and was told to stand by. After 15 minutes or so of flying a racecourse pattern over the Hudson (1;500 MSL in Class E); I checked with Approach again and was told again to stand by. Concerned about fuel; the need to get the dogs on the ground; and the potentially lowering ceilings; I requested and received VFR; switched to 1200; and immediately contacted NYC Approach on the (different) frequency appropriate for approach to SWF. I advised location; altitude; and intentions and the Controller instructed me to continue up the Hudson and notify at 10 miles from SWF. I did so; flying along the east shore of the Hudson; and as I passed West Point I saw that another game was in progress. As this was also 10 NM from SWF; I contacted Approach again and was routed in to SWF; handed to Tower; and landed.Did I bust a 'stadium' TFR at West Point? Who knows? Who can know; given the rules? I'm supposed to keep track of the stadium size and the contest schedule for every college in the country; and the TFR's don't even show up on FAA's own TFR site and aren't known to briefers? How about the fact that I was complying with ATC instructions at the time -- does that buy an exemption? Thank goodness I always use flight following; or I definitely would have busted the Yankee Stadium TFR. I appreciate the help provided by the Newark and Teterboro controllers; but wonder why the La Guardia Controller sent me up the river -- literally -- into a TFR. Maybe she was relying on the official FAA TFR map; just like I was?
PA28 pilot laments the fact that accurate TFR information cannot be found on any FAA web site or obtained from a FSS briefer. These omissions prevent moving map displays from showing the TFR's real time while airborne.