[Ed Note: The linked article comes from Wired. They are notorious for their adblocker blocking to keep you from reading the site without viewing the ads. It worked for me, but YMMV. - cmn32480]
You're a private pilot, out on a Sunday jaunt in your single engine prop plane. Lovely day for a flight—calm skies, good weather. Then you hear, feel, and then see the fast approach of two, grey, angular military jets, flying terrifyingly close to you, most definitely armed and dangerous.
What have you done? More pressing, what do you do? Chances are, you've strayed into restricted airspace, like the no fly zones put in place to protect President Trump wherever he goes, or special events, like this weekend's Super Bowl.
For the big game, the no-fly zone banishes planes (and drones, the FAA is keen to stress) straying within 34.5 miles of NRG stadium, in downtown Houston. If pilots feel they must enter the outer edge of the perimeter, they need permission from controllers, and are asked to maintain constant contact. The 10-mile core is strictly no entry.
OK, back to those menacing fighter jets, one of which is now level with you, where you can see each other. Hopefully, as a pilot, you've read and memorized your in-flight intercept procedures (even if you didn't bother to check the FAA website for no-fly zones in your area), because they're your best bet for keeping a lot of airspace between you and a missile.
The full article at Wired discusses the steps taken by pilots on both sides of such a situation.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 06 2017, @10:15AM
(Score: 2) by morpheus on Monday February 06 2017, @12:24PM
A transponder is not required over most of the US but the radar will see you anyway, will be even able to calculate your altitude quite well.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 06 2017, @04:07PM
will be even able to calculate your altitude quite well.
Depends on what type of radar. Not all types do altitude.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_radar [wikipedia.org]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transponder_(aeronautics)#Secondary_surveillance_radar [wikipedia.org]
(Score: 2) by morpheus on Monday February 06 2017, @07:45PM
Fair enough. Here in the Southeast, primary radars are everywhere so they pretty much know how high you are. TFRs are usually near a busy airspace (unless it is a fire TFR) so they will nail you whether you have a transponder on or not. It is always safer to get flight following or better yet, file an IFR flight plan. With those, they will clear you through almost anything as long as there is nothing important is happening at the moment.