Bonanza 35
Flight Crew Flight Engineer; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150; Flight Crew Total 12000; Flight Crew Type 40
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Other / Unknown; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Procedure; Airspace Structure
Traveling up the East coast of Florida can be a real challenge some days.  As you proceed up the east coast; there is a nasty tangle of airspace; the Class B airspace from Orlando; which takes up a huge amount of real estate (essentially 60% of the landmass in that part of Florida); the Sanford Class C airspace tucked underneath; and the hordes of restricted airspace areas over the Cape.  The restricted airspace (and more-than-occasional TFR) over the Cape is a particular challenge.  Most of the airspace is effective by NOTAM; which is to say; almost always.  When you talk to ATC; the airspace is invariably 'cold;' leading to unexpected vectors through the airspace.  It makes any kind of planning very difficult.  The best you can do is assume that the airspace will be 'hot;' and plan on going west to deviate; if you have to.  VFR is very difficult; and the airspace provides a very narrow corridor that tends to funnel traffic into a very small space.  If you are IFR and northbound; ATC insists on sending you up V3.  On this particular day; there was a TFR active over the Titusville airport; to provide a practice area for an upcoming airshow 5 miles in radius and up to 15;000'...right on V3.  On this day; we were IFR.  After doing our due diligence; and getting a complete briefing (both via DUATS and through Flight Service); it was decided that a different routing would be filed (VRB V51); which would keep us well clear of the TFR.  We were cleared as filed; and launched knowing that we had done our part.  After deviating for some spring rainstorms; we were cleared VRB and V3 to the destination. After telling the center that would take us right through the TFR; we were told to fly it anyway; and that vectors would be forthcoming (probably not a great plan; if you consider any lost comm procedures).  Once up the road towards VRB; we were handed off to MCO approach; who controls the low altitude airspace in that area.  We were flying vectors to deviate around weather; and it was clear that ATC was fairly saturated.  All of the departures from MCO were deviating; there was plenty of overflight traffic; buildups requiring deviations; and there was this huge TFR sticking up into the middle of one of the most heavily traveled routes in Florida.  After planning on deviating west; at this point; ATC told us 'New plan; fly 020 heading to go out east; as there is weather building to the west.'  Not a problem.  We turned northeast; and followed the vector around the south end of the TFR over TIX by a good margin.  We asked for; and were granted a 040 heading for a last bit of weather; and after a bit; we were turned north; then northwest to rejoin V3 to our destination.   Because of the frequency saturation; there was no time to verify that the restricted areas were cold.  You had to assume that was the case based on what the airman's information manual states for IFR traffic through restricted areas.  All fine and good.  We were IFR; and normally when ATC clears you through a restricted area IFR; that means that it's either cold (thus not in existence); or the controlling agency is OK with you being there.  What concerns us; and is the genesis of this report; is that in situations like this; there is virtually no time to cross check with ATC that this IS the case.  In the case of V3; if you have to deviate off the airway for any reason (weather; etc); you are IN the restricted area; depending on your altitude.  You could find yourself there; even if you had an alternate plan; because ATC is pretty inflexible regarding the routing along the coast  Normally this wouldn't be a problem for people; since they could choose another route to take if they saw that weather or other operational issues may be a problem; but ATC insists on northbound traffic going up V3; leaving few other options.  If the restricted areas ARE active; it could leave an aircraft boxed in with few alternatives.  A good solution would be to transmit the status ofrestricted areas over ADS-B or commercial services (XM or WSI); similar to how TFRs are transmitted; or if you are given clearance through a restricted area that is not active; ATC should at least verbally confirm the status of the areas in the clearance.
BE35 pilot describes difficulties flying up the east coast from Florida due to Class B airspace; TFR's; and restricted areas; suggesting that airborne information could be provided by ADS-B or commercial services (XM or WSI).