Bonanza 36
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20; Flight Crew Total 2000; Flight Crew Type 800
Human-Machine Interface; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Confusion
Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Chart Or Publication; Equipment / Tooling; Human Factors; Procedure
I departed that morning after checking weather/TFR's on the internet. I was either direct CHS or TYBEE Intersection on my route. I saw R5311 on the GPS and touched the outline and pressed the info button for R5311. I saw the image (photo taken after ATC notified me on Guard) below and confirmed that I was below the minimum altitude of 12;000 FT. So; instead of deviating right a couple of miles I continued through R5311. About 10 miles south of my exit of R5311 I heard a call on Guard (121.5) of an unknown flyer at my position so I called Fayetteville Approach as I was told. They told me to contact them after landing. They told me about R5311A/B/C and I quickly realized what happened. They also picked me up for flight following. When I landed I contacted Fayetteville Approach and they explained what had happened and I described the above. I was told I might get a call from the R5311 people about the incident. I did get that call and told them the same thing and discussed the issue. I looked at a 'paper' chart (VFR Sectional) and it clearly showed R5311A; R5311B and R5311C. This is unusual for restricted areas (in my experience) but I'm sure not unique. In retrospect I should have noticed the 'C' on the GPS screen and inquired as to where 'A' and 'B' might be but I did not because I had never seen a restricted area like this with three designations for the exact same area. I am an experienced; careful pilot; and yet I was not able to see the difference in the paper charts and GPS charts. I think this deserves some attention and could probably save a life someday. It is not that difficult for the chart makers to denote areas like this such that it is more obvious that there are three different 'criteria' for the R-Area. The paper charts do this very clearly as an example. To me this is a very serious matter and I don't take it lightly. I now know to look closer at what the GPS display is telling me won't make this mistake again; but what about the thousands of other pilots out there that might make the same mistake for the same reason. We really should try to fix this one.
A pilot entered R5311C at 6;500 FT below the GTN 750 GPS depicted 12;000 FT floor but that GPS did not depict the lower R5311 A/B areas along with their respective restricted altitudes.