5.3 Special Use Airspace & Temporary Flight Restrictions

5.3 Special Use Airspace & Temporary Flight Restrictions

Special Use Airspace (SUA) consists of airspace where activities must be confined because of their nature, or where limitations are imposed upon non-participating aircraft operations. Sport pilots must understand the entry rules, hazards, and sectional chart depictions for each type of special use airspace, as well as the strict legal requirements surrounding Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs).

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Special Use Airspace (SUA) Categories

SUA areas are depicted on Sectional Aeronautical Charts and listed in tabular legends with their active hours, altitudes, and controlling agencies.

1. Prohibited Areas (P-###)

• Purpose: Airspace established for security or national welfare reasons where the flight of aircraft is strictly prohibited.
• Examples: White House, National Mall in Washington D.C., Camp David, Pantex Nuclear Assembly Plant.
• Chart Depiction: Solid blue line with internal blue hatch marks, identified by the letter P followed by a number (e.g., P-40).

2. Restricted Areas (R-###)

• Purpose: Airspace containing unusual, often invisible, hazards to aircraft—such as artillery firing, aerial gunnery, guided missile tests, or high-energy lasers.
• Rules: Penetration by non-participating aircraft without authorization is extremely hazardous and illegal. If a Restricted Area is active (hot), pilots MUST receive approval from the controlling agency prior to entry. If inactive (cold), ATC may clear VFR aircraft through.
• Chart Depiction: Blue hatch-marked boundary identified by R followed by a number (e.g., R-2508).

3. Warning Areas (W-###)

• Purpose: Airspace extending outward from 3 Nautical Miles off the coast of the United States over international waters. Contains hazards similar to Restricted Areas.
• Rules: Established to warn non-participating pilots of potential danger over international waters where the FAA lacks legal authority to prohibit flight.
• Chart Depiction: Blue hatch-marked boundary identified by W followed by a number.

4. Military Operations Areas (MOA)

• Purpose: Airspace established to separate non-hazardous military training activities (e.g., high-speed aerobatics, formation flying, low-altitude intercepts) from IFR traffic.
• Rules: VFR flight through an MOA is permitted without clearance. However, pilots must exercise extreme caution. Prior to entering an MOA, sport pilots should contact the nearest Flight Service Station (FSS) or ATC controlling agency to check the active status.
• Chart Depiction: Magenta hatch-marked boundary identified by name (e.g., Rainier MOA).

5. Alert Areas (A-###)

• Purpose: Airspace informing pilots of a high volume of pilot training or unusual aerial activity (e.g., flight school practice areas, skydive drop zones, intensive helicopter ops).
• Rules: All aircraft may enter freely without clearance. Pilots are urged to maintain vigilant visual scanning for traffic.
• Chart Depiction: Magenta hatch-marked boundary identified by A followed by a number (e.g., A-211).

6. Controlled Firing Areas (CFA)

• Purpose: Contains activities that, if not conducted in a controlled environment, could be hazardous to non-participating aircraft (e.g., ordnance disposal, ground target practice).
• Unique Feature: CFAs are NOT depicted on Sectional Charts. CFA activities are immediately suspended when spotter aircraft, radar, or ground lookouts detect an approaching aircraft.

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SUA Summary Matrix

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Military Training Routes (MTRs)

Military Training Routes are established for low-altitude, high-speed military training flights operating at speeds exceeding 250 knots.

MTR Identifiers & Altitude Rules

• Route Types: Designated as either IR (IFR military route) or VR (VFR military route).
• 4-Digit Identification Numbers (e.g., VR1207 or IR1042): Indicates that all route segments exist at or below 1,500 feet AGL.
• 3-Digit Identification Numbers (e.g., VR235 or IR084): Indicates that one or more route segments exist above 1,500 feet AGL.

Because military jets operating along MTRs fly extremely low and fast, sport pilots crossing MTR corridors must maintain strict see-and-avoid vigil.

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Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs)

A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is a regulatory action issued by the FAA via Flight Data Center (FDC) NOTAMs under 14 CFR 91.137. TFRs restrict aircraft operations within a specified geographic area and altitude range for limited timeframes.

Primary Reasons for TFR Issuance

1. VIP Movements: Presidential and Vice-Presidential TFRs feature a 10 NM inner core (no-fly zone) and a 30 NM outer ring requiring discrete transponder codes and flight plan filing.
2. Disaster Relief & Hazards: Wildfires, hurricane response, toxic chemical spills, and space launch operations.
3. Major Sporting Events: TFRs automatically apply to major stadium events (30,000+ seats) from 1 hour before to 1 hour after the event, covering a 3 NM radius up to 3,000 feet AGL.

Penalties for TFR Violations

Unintentional penetration of a TFR results in immediate military fighter interception by NORAD, civil fines, and emergency revocation of pilot certificates.

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Preflight Action Mandate (14 CFR 91.103)

Under 14 CFR 91.103, every pilot is legally required to become familiar with all available information concerning that flight prior to departure. This explicitly includes obtaining an official preflight briefing from Flight Service (1-800-WX-BRIEF / 1800wxbrief.com) or FAA-approved electronic flight bag (EFB) applications to verify all active TFRs, FDC NOTAMs, and SUA operational statuses along the route of flight.