Friday, August 29, 2014

Obama’s Fundraisers Are Messing Up Some Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Labor Day Flight Plans

Flights from New York to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket this weekend will be under some restrictions thanks to President Obama’s plans to attend two fundraisers near Westchester, N.Y. 

The Federal Aviation Administration  has issued a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) around White Plains for a large part of Friday, all-day Saturday, and most of Sunday. 

Page Six reports that the restriction is throwing off some wealthy New Yorkers with scheduled private flights out to the Hamptons, Nantucket, and the Vineyard.

“This will create a perfect storm on a holiday Friday, creating air-space havoc between New York City and Boston,” Melissa Tomkiel, the president of flight companies Fly the Whale and Tailwind, told Page Six.

The flight restrictions won’t have any impact on regular commercial flights, Martha’s Vineyard airport manager Sean Flynn told Boston.com.

“Most of our pilots are already used to flying in and out of a TFR because we’ve had the President visiting here so many times,” Flynn said. “People that truly fly in and out of the Vineyard are already used to traveling like this.” Those not used to the restrictions, though, may have a more difficult time navigating them, he added.

Those restrictions come as Obama is set to attend two fundraisers in Westchester this weekend. The first will be a 250-person Labor Day BBQ hosted by Wall Street banker and Obama golf buddy Robert Wolf, a Democratic National Convention spokesman said. 

The second fundraiser is a small roundtable for 25 people in New Rochelle. Guests will donate up to $32,400 to the DNC to attend each of the fundraisers.

- Source:  http://www.boston.com

Fly The Whale:  http://www.flythewhale.com

NOTAM:  http://tfr.faa.gov/ZBW

NOTAM:  http://tfr.faa.gov/ZNY

Well-wishers wait at T.F. Green Airport for arrival of President Obama 


 WARWICK, R.I. — A small crowd of well-wishers have queued up outside the T.F. Green Airport Fire Station to wish President Obama hello.

“This is a great opportunity to meet our Commander-in-Chief,” said James Gubata, 54, of Tiverton more than an hour before the President was set to arrive. He was there with his good friends Beth Morin and Joanna Krystman, both also of Tiverton.

“I would never pass up the opportunity to see the President of the United States,” Morin said.

Obama is coming to Rhode Island for a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee fund raiser in Newport Friday evening.

Sally Vincent of Plainville, Mass., who was also by the fire station, said, “Who wouldn’t want to see him? We saw President Clinton at West Point, and it was a thrill. I pray for President Obama every night.”

Her husband, Paul Vincent, said he likes pomp and circumstance and he’s also excited to see Air Force One.

“This is a big deal,” Mattie Edwards-Kemp of Portsmouth said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I’m a huge supporter of the President. He has made it possible for kids to dream. I feel really blessed.”

Robert Kelley of Portsmouth said, “I’m here to see the most powerful man in the world. I’m amazed he can fly here for three hours and fly back out. I’m thrilled he’s coming to Rhode Island.”

Story, photo and comments:   http://www.providencejournal.com

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