Balloon Festival Will Go On Despite Trump's Bedminster Arrival

BEDMINSTER, NJ — President Donald Trump will be arriving in Bedminster for his fourth visit on Friday night to stay through the weekend. Despite flight restrictions in place for the township and surrounding area, the annual QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning will go on as planned.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a VIP Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in the Bedminster Township, Morristown and surrounding region for Friday at 5 p.m. through Sunday to 6:30 p.m.

The Festival of Ballooning, which is being held on Friday through Sunday at Solberg Airport in Readington will not be affected by flight restrictions caused by Trump.

"We have been very appreciative of the attention and support we have received from representatives of the United States Secret Service, local law enforcement agencies, and other local agencies, to ensure that the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning will go on as planned July 27 to 29, during a presidential visit in Bedminster that weekend," said Festival Executive Producer Howard Freeman.

There are two major components when a VIP TFR is issued. First, there is a no-fly zone issued for anything within a 10 mile radius of Trump's National Golf Course in Bedminster.

This essentially shuts down airports such as Somerset Airport and Solberg-Hunterdon Airport in Whitehouse Station.

The second part of the TFR is the second ring, which impacts a much larger radius of airports. The second ring encompasses a 30-mile radius which includes 17 other airports such as Princeton Airport, Old Bridge Airport and Central Jersey Regional Airport in Hillsborough.

Flights within the 30-mile radius can still have aircrafts fly out of the airport to somewhere outside the ring or land from outside the ring to an airport inside.

"While individual air traffic may be grounded at local airports during a presidential visit to the area, the Festival is a professionally produced event coordinated with the FAA, federal and local agencies and conducted under strict guidelines to ensure safe flight and the enjoyment of Festival attendees," a spokesman for the festival said. "The Festival’s production team has met numerous times with various agencies involved and has received permission to hold all of its daily scheduled mass hot air balloons ascensions even with a temporary flight restriction in effect."

Trump will be arriving at his Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster on Friday night. His full arrival schedule will be released on Friday.

• See Related: 2018 QuickChek New Jersey Festival Of Ballooning Information

(Image via Quick Chek NJ Festival of Ballooning)

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