Civilian aircraft approached Donald Trump's golf club - F-16 jets scrambled
Two civilian aircraft entered the airspace over Bedminster, New Jersey, where the US President was staying at his golf club. Fighter jets were scrambled to intercept them and escorted them out of the area. It is estimated that the pilots entered the sterile area by mistake.
F-16 fighter jets of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) removed two civilian aircraft today, Sunday, that violated temporary flight restrictions over Bedminster, New Jersey, where US President Donald Trump's golf club is located.
"All aircraft were safely escorted out of the area by the command's jets," NORAD stated.
A video of the scrambled fighter jets was circulated on social media, as well as documentation of Donald Trump at the site.
The American command clarified that both aircraft were general aviation planes — a term that usually refers to civilian flights that are not operated by scheduled airlines. There were no reports of any danger to Donald Trump or the club, and both aircraft were removed from the restricted space unharmed.
Bedminster is known primarily for Donald Trump's prestigious golf club, where he tends to stay. During the President's visits to the area, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposes temporary flight restrictions, known as TFR, as part of the security envelope around him. Pilots are required to check current notices regarding airspace restrictions before takeoff. Apparently, the light civilian aircraft handled by the F-16 jets entered the sterile airspace by mistake.
Following the incident, NORAD also published a reminder to pilots on how they should act in the event that a fighter jet is scrambled towards them: switch immediately to the emergency frequency 121.5 or 243.0, change course, and act according to the instructions they receive. The command emphasized once again that pilots must check the relevant NOTAM notices before every flight and strictly adhere to temporary flight restrictions.
This is not the first time in the recent period that fighter jets have been scrambled following an intrusion into restricted airspace in the area. On July 19, NORAD announced that more than 10 general aviation aircraft entered restricted areas over Bedminster and East Rutherford, New Jersey, in a single day. In three of the cases, F-16 jets were required to perform an interception, and in two of them, they even released flares intended to attract the pilots' attention. Even then, the events ended without casualties, and all aircraft were safely removed.
NORAD explains that the flares used during interceptions are intended to alert the pilot and get his attention. They are fired while maintaining safety, burn out and dissipate quickly, and are not supposed to endanger people on the ground. Operational responsibility for missions of this type is assigned to the continental branch of NORAD in the USA, which is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida.
