Aviation Glossary

TFR

A TFR is a regulatory action issued by the FAA via the U.S. NOTAM System, under the authority of United States Code, Title 49. TFRs are issued within the sovereign airspace of the United States and its territories to restrict certain aircraft from operating within a defined area on a temporary basis to protect persons or property in the air or on the ground. While not all inclusive, TFRs may be issued for disaster or hazard situations such as: toxic gas leaks or spills, fumes from flammable agents, aircraft accident/incident sites, aviation or ground resources engaged in wildlife suppression, or aircraft relief activities following a disaster. TFRs may also be issued in support of VIP movements; for reasons of national security; or when determined necessary for the management of air traffic in the vicinity of aerial demonstrations or major sporting events. NAS users or other interested parties should contact a FSS for TFR information. Additionally, TFR information can be found in automated briefings, NOTAM publications, and on the internet at http://www.faa.gov. The FAA also distributes TFR information to aviation user groups for further dissemination.

source: FAA Pilot/Controller Glossary

Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A restriction to flight imposed in order to:

Protect persons and property in the air or on the surface from an existing or imminent flight associated hazard;
Provide a safe environment for the operation of disaster relief aircraft;
Prevent an unsafe congestion of sightseeing aircraft above an incident;
Protect the President, Vice President, or other public figures; and,
Provide a safe environment for space agency operations.

source: FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25A)

Temporary flight restriction (TFR): Designated airspace of specified dimension where flight is temporarily restricted or prohibited. NOTAMs are issued to advise airmen of local TFR restrictions.

source: FAA Weight Shift Control Handbook (FAA-H-8083-5)

A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is a geographically-limited, short-term, airspace restriction, typically in the United States. Temporary flight restrictions often encompass major sporting events, natural disaster areas, air shows, space launches, and Presidential movements. Before the September 11, 2001 attacks, most TFRs were in the interest of safety to flying aircraft with occasional small restrictions for Presidential movements. Since 9/11, TFRs have been routinely used to restrict airspace for 30 nautical miles around the President, with a 10-nautical-mile (20 km) radius no-fly zone for non-scheduled flights. They are also available to other important people such as presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

The responsibility for screening requests for TFR and for subsequent granting or denying them, lies with the FAA's Office of System Operations Security.

The pertinent sections of the FAR (14 CFR Sections 91.137, 91.138, 91.139, 91.141, 91.143, 91.145, 99.7) describe temporary flight restrictions (TFR).

source: Wikitionary / Wikipedia and Related Sources (Edited)