HOUSTON, Texas: Houston TFR violations prompted NORAD F-16 fighters to intercept five general aviation aircraft Friday while temporary flight restrictions were active during President Donald Trump’s visit.
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) said all five aircraft entered Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) restricted airspace on August 28. Fighter crews safely escorted each aircraft out of the area.
The Houston restrictions affected airspace around several southeast Texas airports. The relevant restriction ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. CDT.
NORAD did not identify the pilots or aircraft models. It also did not announce any arrests, injuries or damage related to the interceptions.
Read: MAG Airport Cyberattack Exposes Customer Booking Data
Royal Canadian Air Force Major-General David Moar, director of NORAD operations, said recent temporary-flight-restriction violations in Texas showed pilots needed greater attention to pre-flight planning.
NORAD urged aviators to check active Notices to Airmen before departure. Trump was in Houston to visit NASA’s Johnson Space Centre.
There, he awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honour to Artemis II astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
Read: Security by Antiquity Gives Old Tech a Cybersecurity Edge
During the same August 28 visit, Trump signed an executive order establishing the United States Space Academy initiative. A presidential commission must submit recommendations on its governance, location and other details within 120 days.
