Some small private airports in New Jersey say the flight restrictions that accompany President Donald Trump’s visits to his Bedminster golf club are putting a damper on their businesses.

Visits from the president trigger a ban on all air traffic within 10 miles of Trump National Golf Club and restrictions on traffic within 30 miles. Restrictions are in place this weekend.

 

That creates problems for airports as far away as Bucks County in Pennsylvania. It restricts training flights, forces pilots to fly with tracking devices and grounds skydivers and hot air balloons.

 

Solberg Airport co-owner Suzanne Nagle tells  the economic impact could be devastating.

 

“It places a black cloud over the airports within the 30-mile radius,” Nagle said.

 

Airport owners and pilots say they’re happy to coordinate with the president’s security team. Some have proposed allowing training flights to take off and land at restricted airports as long as the actual instruction occurs outside the 30-mile radius.

 

“We are working toward not blanketly shutting certain operations down without jeopardizing the safety of President Trump and the Secret Service personnel who protect him,” Nagle said.

 

The Federal Aviation Administration says it is trying to reschedule a canceled seminar to discuss problems created by the flight restrictions and possible solutions.

 

The seminar also would cover procedures for intercepting aircraft that violate flight restrictions, the original announcement said, “just in case.”

 
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