AOPA - Airspace for Everyone

Safe Pilots. Safe Skies. www.asf.org

The airspaceabove the UnitedStates can seem as complex andconvoluted as asoap opera plot.With a little study,however, it doesmake sense.

In this Safety Advisor, we will examine the airspacestructure and how pilots are expected (and requiredby the Federal Aviation Regulations) to operate with-in it.

Throughout this Safety Advisor, we will be talkingabout VFR and IFR operations within different class-es of airspace. VFR pilots need to know more aboutairspace than IFR pilots, because most airspace wasdesigned to separate VFR and IFR operations. Thesimple act of being on an IFR flight plan means thata clearance through controlled airspace has alreadybeen granted. Of course, pilots who are studying forFAA knowledge or practical tests will need to knoweverything — so bone up.

Distilled to the basics, there are two kinds of air-space: uncontrolled and controlled.

Uncontrolled AirspaceIn the early days of aviation, all airspace was uncon-trolled, what we today call Class G airspace. Wayback when, there were few airplanes, and none hadthe instruments necessary to fly in clouds. Even atthe busiest of airports, traffic density was very low,and the airplanes flew slowly. Although there wereno standards for weather conditions that aircraftcould fly in, it was generally agreed that if youremained clear of clouds and had at least one-mile visibility, you could see other airplanes and terrain intime to avoid a collision. This was called see andavoid. It formed the basis for VFR flight and remainscritical to preventing collisions.

As the aviation population gained experience flyingin marginal weather, pilots learned that becausevision faded at night and at altitude, better weatherconditions were necessary to see and avoid other

AirspaceF o r E v e r y o n e

S A F E T Y A D V I S O RRegulations No. 1

The airspaceabove the UnitedStates can seem as complex andconvoluted as asoap opera plot.With a little study,however, it doesmake sense.

Safe Pilots. Safe Skies. Pg. 2 www.asf.org

Figure 1. Victor Airway

Contrary to what many pilots believe, controlled air-space does not mean that all flight within it is controlled.It means that IFR services are available to qualified pilotswho choose to use them. Pilots operating under VFRmay fly freely in controlled airspace as long as weatherconditions meet current regulatory requirements for thatairspace.

Begin the ApproachesAirport-based radio navigation facilities made instrumentapproaches possible, greatly improving the utility of air-craft, while also creating some traffic-separation chal-lenges. Close encounters between IFR airplanes onapproach to airports and VFR airplanes flying under theweather led to the creation of transition areas.

Transition areas surrounded airports with instrumentapproaches and brought Class E airspace to within 700feet of the surface. This move was intended to protectapproaching IFR pilots. Pilots flying under VFR couldoperate in the transition areas as long as they had VFRweather minimums (Figure 2 on the next page showsthe magenta tint used to depict transition areas).

traffic. This is the reason why higher weather minimumsexist at night and at altitude.

Minimum cloud clearance limits and flight visibilitiesworked well for a time, but the aviation industry wasbooming, and things were about to change.

Except when flying in clouds, the pilot in command isresponsible at all times for aircraft separation, evenwhen operating in a radar environment or on an IFRflight plan.

Many pilots do not know that IFR flight without aclearence is permitted in uncontrolled airspace, provided that the pilot is instrument-rated and the aircraft is equipped for instrument flight.

Controlled AirspaceThe BeginningWith the advent of inexpensive gyroscopic flight instru-ments, travel through the clouds became possible. Seeand avoid was useless in the soup, so procedures toensure aircraft separation were needed. This led to thecreation of air traffic control (ATC) and controlled, orClass E, airspace. The government established a systemof airways, each eight-nautical miles wide with base altitudes of 1,200 feet above ground level (agl), and des-ignated the airspace within them as controlled airspace.The airway system was defined by a network of radiobeacons, many of which were located on airports.

More stringent weather minimums for VFR operationswere established for this controlled airspace to furtherseparate air traffic. In poor weather conditions, pilotsand aircraft had to be qualified and equipped for IFRflight, file IFR flight plans, and coordinate their positionswith ATC. When weather conditions were good, pilotscould still fly on IFR flight plans, if they chose, but wereresponsible to see and avoid other aircraft.

Some parcels of airspace contained many airways, so inthose areas, controlled airspace was established at 1,200feet agl to coincide with the airways, whether on an air-way or not. When VOR airways arrived in the 1950s,they were (and still are) known as “Victor” airways.Figure 1 shows how the airspace looked in those days.


Figure 3. Surface-Based Class E

Figure 2. Transition Area

At first, the only approaches were of the nonprecisionvariety. That is, they provided no vertical guidance.Pilots would fly to or from a navaid and, at the appropri-ate distance or time, would descend to predeterminedaltitudes. Depending upon the speed of the airplaneand the height of obstacles surrounding the airport, anonprecision approach might or might not be sufficientto get below the clouds and onto the runway.

Most approaches in the United States are nonprecision.New nonprecision Global Positioning System (GPS)approaches are being added.

To help pave the way for all-weather utility, the instru-ment landing system (ILS) was invented, providing vertical guidance in the form of an electronic glideslope.It remains the predominant precision approach systemtoday.

The ILS systems brought airplanes to within 200 feet ofthe ground, and that caused some problems with VFRflight around airports with precision approaches. Thesolution was to bring Class E, or controlled airspace, tothe surface and to raise the weather minimums so thatVFR traffic would not get in the way of IFR traffic duringpoor weather.

VFR minimums for surface-based Class E airspace are:a 1,000-foot ceiling and 3 statute miles visibility. Whenthe weather is at least that good, VFR and IFR traffic canlegally mix within surface-based Class E (see Figure 3).

Currently, Wide-Area Augmentation System (WAAS)approaches are being established. These even moreaccurate GPS-based approaches can provide ILS-likeminimums, but they fall into a new classification ofapproaches called “approach with vertical guidance”(APV).

A weather observer or automated weather observationequipment (ASOS or AWOS) must be available at air-ports surrounded by surface-based Class E. If weatherinformation is not available, the airspace reverts to ClassG with a Class E transition area, as shown in Figure 3.

View From the TowerAs traffic increased at major airports, the need for con-trol towers became apparent. Controllers in the towerwere — and still are — responsible for sequencing arriv-ing and departing airborne traffic and keeping order onthe ground. Class D airspace was established around


towered airports, and all pilots operating within it wererequired to communicate with the tower, regardless ofweather conditions. The same weather minimums asthose in surface-based Class E applied to Class D. Figure4 shows how Class D airspace is charted.

Figure 4. Class D

When arriving, departing, or passing through Class Dairspace, communications must be established with thetower. Communications must also be established whenoperating to or from an outlying field within the Class Dairspace. When the tower is not operating but weatherinformation is available, the airspace reverts to surface-based Class E (Figure 3) — that is, during periods ofbelow-VFR weather, aircraft must be operating underIFR. If weather information is not available, the airspacereverts to Class G as shown in Figure 2.

Part-time control towers’ hours of operation are pub-lished in the Airport/Facilities Directory, as well as onsectional charts (see Figure 5 above, right).

To help separate fast and slow traffic, there is also aspeed limit of 200 knots indicated airspeed below 2,500feet agl within four-nautical miles (nm) of the primary Class D airport.

The Radar AgeGround-based surveillance radar was introduced to aidATC in separating aircraft. It exists in many forms andareas of coverage. Today, it’s known mainly by two com-ponents, air route traffic control centers (or just “cen-ter”) and terminal radar approach control (Tracon, or“approach”).

With radar surveillance to separate aircraft, ATC canreduce the distance between participating aircraft.Intended mainly to separate IFR traffic, ATC may assistVFR traffic by providing flight following. This serviceallows VFR pilots to receive traffic advisories, but doesnot relieve them of see and avoid responsibility.

Flight following is available from ATC on a workload-permitting basis.

Figure 5. Control Tower Hours of Operation


Airspace Restrictions for Traffic SeparationAir travel continued to expand, and the mixture of fasttransport-category aircraft and general aviation aircraftaround major airports was thought to be a safety risk.

The FAA hastened the development of radar and ATCfollowing a midair collision between a Lockheed Con-stellation and a Douglas DC-6 over the Grand Canyonin the 1950s. Similarly, the FAA accelerated its plans formore stringent traffic separation and expanded use ofcontrolled airspace after a midair collision between aBoeing 727 and a Cessna 172 in San Diego in 1978.

As radar became commonplace, the FAA designed new classes of airspace solely to separate IFR and VFRflights in areas of high traffic. These classes of airspaceinclude terminal radar service areas (TRSAs), Class C,and Class B.

Airspace in Detail: The TRSAIn some Class D airspace, traffic sequencing is handledby radar approach together with the tower. In theseareas, radar assists the tower outside its Class D air-space. These areas are depicted on sectional charts andare called TRSAs, as shown in Figures 6a and 6b. TRSAradar only assists the tower in Class D airspace; the twofunction independently. Radio participation in the TRSAis voluntary, though recommended, and the airspacewithin the TRSA maintains its original class designation.TRSAs are simply Class D airspace surrounded by air-space in which radar coverage is provided.

Figure 6a. TRSA

Figure 6b. TRSA

A TRSA is airspace that does not fit the requirements of Class C airspace, but is too busy to be just Class D airspace.

Airspace in Detail: Class CClass C airspace (see Figures 7a and 7b), has a mandato-ry communication requirement. Note the differencesand similarities between Class C airspace and Class Dairspace. Controlled airspace weather minimums are thesame for Class C and Class D airspace.

To operate inside or above Class C airspace, all aircraftare required to have a Mode C transponder (up to10,000 feet msl). In addition, two-way radio communi-cation must be established when operating within ClassC. Any aircraft wishing to depart or return to a satelliteairport located within Class C airspace must contact ATCapproach control prior to entering Class C.

Figure 7a. Class C


Figure 8. Class B

A Mode C transponder is required within 30 nm of theprimary Class B airport, up to 10,000 feet msl. This iscalled the Mode C veil, which exists even outside thenormal boundaries of the Class B airspace proper. Special aeronautical charts, known as terminal areacharts (TACs), are published specifically for Class B airspace.

A 250-knot speed limit is imposed within the Class Bairspace (just like the rest of the country under 10,000feet msl), unless you are operating in airspace to an air-port underneath the floor of Class B airspace or within a VFR corridor, in which case the speed limit is 200knots (VFR corridors will be discussed later). CertainClass B primary airports are prohibited for student pilotoperations.

RestrictionsCertain activities are prohibited in controlled airspace.Aerobatics are prohibited in Class B, C, D, surface-basedClass E airspace and on Victor airways.

Ultralight vehicles and unmanned free balloons above

Figure 7b. Class C

Speed is also restricted in Class C airspace to 200 knotsbelow 2,500 feet agl within four nm of the primary airport.

The communication requirement needed to enter ClassC and Class D airspace is fulfilled as soon as ATC repeatsthe call sign. However, once communication is estab-lished, pilots must comply with all ATC instructions oradvise otherwise.

Airspace in Detail: Class BIf you imagine Class C airspace as the small town thatgrew into a large community, then Class B is that samecommunity a decade later. In order to sequence high-speed traffic into heavily used airports — such as in LosAngeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, or New York — ATC neededto guarantee separation of traffic farther from the air-port. This meant that all aircraft would have to be posi-tively controlled.

Class B airspace provides for positive control of bothVFR and IFR traffic. By enlarging the area of radar cover-age, Class B airspace is able to provide separation for allaircraft through a mandatory communication require-ment. Due to this increase in radar coverage andmandatory participation by all aircraft, cloud clearancesare reduced to clear of clouds with three-miles visibility.Class B airspace can be seen in Figure 8.

To operate in Class B you must receive a clearance; i.e., “Cleared into Class Bravo airspace.” Unlike otherairspace, receipt of a heading, altitude or transpondercode does not constitute a clearance to enter Class B airspace.


2,000 feet agl are prohibited in Class B, C, D, and sur-face-based Class E airspace unless prior permission isgranted by ATC.

Transition RoutesMany types of published VFR and IFR routes permittransitions around, under, and through busy and com-plex airspace. Some require a clearance from ATC, andothers do not. There are three general types of VFRroutes, described below:

• VFR flyways are depicted on VFR terminal areacharts and provide the pilot a route in which to transi-tion under Class B airspace in an organized manner.Although these routes do not require a clearance, com-munication must be established and maintained withany other classes of airspace to be entered — Class C or D, for example. Caution must be exercised becauseother VFR traffic is likely to be flying the route also.

• VFR corridors are “holes” in Class B airspace, withspecific horizontal and vertical boundaries throughwhich pilots may transition the airspace without obtain-ing a clearance or maintaining communication with ATC(see Figure 9). Pilots should be vigilant in looking outsidethe airplane because VFR traffic tends to cluster in thesecorridors.

Figure 9. VFR Corridor

• VFR transition routes are used to accommodate VFRtraffic through certain Class B airspace. These routes aredefined on VFR terminal area charts and require a clear-

ance as well as ATC-assigned altitudes. Their purpose isto minimize controller workload by allowing pilots tonavigate on a published route through congested air-space. Pilots may receive ATC clearance by advisingtheir position, altitude, route name desired, and direc-tion of flight. Once clearance is received, strict adher-ence to the route and ATC instructions is required.These routes may not always be available due to trafficflow into or out of the primary airport.

Figure 10. RNAV IFR Terminal Transition Routes

• RNAV IFR Terminal Transition Routes (RITTRs orT-routes) are being added to expedite the handling ofIFR traffic through Class B and terminal airspace. TheseRNAV routes are published in the Airport/Facility Direc-tory and on IFR en route low altitude charts.

It’s good practice to read back clearances to ensure thatthere are no misunderstandings between you and ATC.


18,000 msl18,000 msl

Airspace in Detail: Class ABecause most aircraft that fly above 18,000 feet arecapable of IFR, Class A airspace was designed to controlthem. Class A begins at 18,000 feet and goes to 60,000feet (see Figure 10). IFR clearances are required for allaircraft in Class A airspace, so there are no VFR weatherminimums.

Figure 10. Class A

Aerobatics are prohibited in Class A airspace. Ultralightvehicles and parachute jumps are also prohibited withinClass A airspace without prior permission from ATC.

Special VFRA Special VFR (SVFR) clearance is one that permits take-offs and landings in conditions below basic VFR weatherminimums (1,000-foot ceiling and 3-sm visibility). It canbe granted within the surface boundaries of Class B, C,D, and E airspace, unless there is a “NO SVFR” noted inthe airport information block on the sectional or termi-nal area chart.

SVFR requires at least one-mile ground or flight visibilityand the ability to remain clear of clouds. At night, aSVFR clearance requires that the pilot be instrument-rated and the airplane be equipped for instrument flight.An SVFR clearance only permits the pilot to operate insubstandard VFR weather minimums in the selected

airspace. Once clear of that airspace, standard weatherminimums apply.

But Wait, There’s MoreNow that you know where you can go, it’s time to learnwhere you cannot. Beyond the two basic types of air-space discussed earlier (controlled and uncontrolled),there are two other types of airspace.

Special Use AirspaceSpecial use airspace (SUA) was developed to advisepilots of an activity or surface area that dictates specialrules or notices and may possibly be hazardous. Thescheduled hours of operations for a particular SUA areacan be obtained from an AFSS or a VFR sectional (Figure11). There are five main types:

Figure 11. SUA Scheduled Hours of Operation

• Prohibited areas are established for security reasonsor for national welfare and are identified on aviationcharts by a defined area marked with the letter “P,” fol-lowed by a number. Prohibited areas are permanently“off limits”. An example of a prohibited area is the WhiteHouse, or Camp David, as shown in Figure 12. Althoughthese areas are charted, it is imperative to check noticesto airmen (notams) before you fly. Some prohibited areassuch as P-40 (Camp David in Thurmont, MD) maychange often.


A pilot flying “GPS-direct” from Frederick, MD toHagerstown, MD was intercepted by fighter aircraft afterpenetrating P-40’s expanded prohibited area. Pilotsmust be prepared to divert from normal flight operationsto avoid prohibited areas. Check notams, even for localflights.

• Restricted areas, shown in Figure 13, though notentirely prohibited to flight activity, are areas in whichunauthorized penetration is not only illegal, but alsoextremely dangerous. Restricted areas are identified onaeronautical charts by a defined area marked with theletter “R,” followed by a number. Altitudes and timesdiffer for each restricted area and can be determined byconsulting sectional chart legends. Restricted areas generally contain operations that do not mix well withaircraft such as artillery firing, guided missiles, or aerialgunnery. Permission to fly in restricted areas can begiven by ATC.

Figure 12. Prohibited Area

Figure 13. Restricted Areas

• A warning area is airspace over domestic or interna-tional waters that extends from 3 nm beyond shore.Warning areas are advisory in nature and alert pilots thatthey may be entering areas of hazardous activity (seeFigure 14).

• Military operations areas (MOAs), depicted in Figure 15, separate high-speed military traffic from IFRtraffic. These areas are identified on aviation charts by adefined area marked with “MOA,” preceded by theMOA’s name. MOA altitudes differ for each individualarea and can be determined by consulting sectionalchart legends. Although VFR pilots are not prohibitedfrom entering MOAs, they are cautioned to keep awatchful eye out for military operations such as aerialrefueling, air combat training, and formation flying.

The U.S. Air Force was granted permission to conductnighttime lights-out training in certain MOAs across thecountry. During lights-out training, military pilots flyusing night-vision goggles (NVGs) and all exterior aircraftlighting is turned off. While GA aircraft are still permit-ted to fly in these MOAs, pilots should be sure to con-tact the controlling agency for traffic advisories.

Figure 14. Warning Area

The Cessna pilot had been receiving VFR traffic advi-sories from the Tampa TRACON. The F-16 had just been cleared onto a visual MTR and was not communi-cating with ATC at the time of the accident.

Military aircraft are permitted to exceed the 250-knotspeed limit below 10,000 feet msI when cleared ontoan MTR. Pilots should be aware that they can encounterhigh-speed military aircraft at low altitudes outside ofMOAs and restricted areas.

• Air defense identification zones (ADIZ) exist overthe coastal waters of the United States and along theU.S border with Mexico (contiguous ADIZ) and oversome land areas (land-based ADIZ).

Aircraft flying within or through the contiguous ADIZ mustbe on a flight plan (either IFR or defense VFR, known asDVFR), establish and maintain two-way radio communi-cations with ATC, and squawk a discrete transpondercode. If on a DVFR flight plan, pilots must file their esti-mated time of ADIZ penetration with an AFSS andupdate this time if it changes by more than 15 minutes. Ifyou do not update this time and your actual ADIZ pene-tration time differs from the estimated time by more than15 minutes expect a military interception. If on an IFRflight plan, ATC will be advised of your position.

Currently, one land-based ADIZ is charted. This ADIZsurrounds the Washington, D.C. area: It covers the air-space within a 30-nautical-mile radius of the DCAVOR/DME, from the surface to 18,000 msl. Inside aland-based ADIZ, all aircraft are required to be on aflight plan (file “ADIZ flight plan” in the remarks section),squawk a discrete transponder code, and establish two-way communications with ATC. Additional land-basedADIZs may be established by notam.

The airspace around Washington, D.C. is subject toanother unique restriction—a so-called “speed ring.”VFR aircraft outside the ADIZ, but within 60 nauticalmiles of the DCA VOR/DME, are restricted to an indi-cated airspeed of 230 knots or less.

Figure 15. Military Operations Area

• Alert areas are airspace in which an unusual type ofaerial activity or dense pilot training takes place. Theyadvise pilots of possible aerial conflicts, but have no spe-cial rules. Alert areas are identified on sectional chartsby areas marked with the letter “A,” followed by a num-ber. Alert area altitudes differ for each area and can bedetermined by consulting sectional chart legends.

Airspace Odds and Ends• National security areas (NSAs) are established bynotam over areas that require increased security. Pilotsmay be asked to voluntarily avoid flying over certainareas, or flights within NSAs may be forbidden by temporary flight restrictions (TFRs).

• Military training routes (MTRs), as shown in Figure16, are one-way high-speed routes for military traffic.They are depicted on sectional charts and are of twotypes: IR (IFR) and VR (VFR). Routes without a segmentabove 1,500 feet agl are charted with a four-numberidentifier, and routes with at least one segment above1,500 feet agl are charted with a three-number identifi-er. MTRs vary significantly in width and can extend sev-eral miles either side of the charted centerline.

Military aircraft are not confined to MTRs, MOAs, andrestricted areas. They may be encountered anywherecivil traffic flies. Rest assured, military traffic in or outsideof specially designated airspace must adhere to all Fed-eral Aviation Regulations.

In November of 2000, a Cessna 172 and an Air Force F-16 fighter collided south of Tampa, Florida, just out-side of the Tampa Class B airspace and near the begin-ning of a low-altitude military training route. The pilot ofthe Cessna, a 57-year-old flight instructor and charter pilot, was killed. The F-16 pilot ejected safely.

Figure 16. Military Training Route



• Protecting the President, Vice President, or other public figures.

• Providing a safe environment for space agency operations.

For more information on TFRs, visithttp://www.faa.gov/ATS/ATA/ai/TFR_AC_91-63C.pdf

A pilot was flying in the vicinity of Washington, D.C.when he diverted to avoid flying into weather. He wasnot in radio contact with ATC, so he remained clear ofthe Class B airspace. However, in doing so, he inadver-tently penetrated the ADIZ around Washington, DC. He was intercepted and escorted to a nearby aiport byfighter aircraft.

The following is an example of a TFR notam:

FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS ST. MARYS, GA. EFFECTIVEIMMEDIATELY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. PURSUANTTO 14 CFR SECTION 99.7 SPECIAL SECURITYINSTRUCTIONS. FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS ARE INEFFECT DUE TO NATIONAL SECURITY. EXCEPT FORRELIEF AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS UNDER DIRECTIONOF THE COMMANDER, KING BAY NAVAL BASE. ALLOPERATIONS ARE PROHIBITED WITHIN THE AIR-SPACE FROM THE SURFACE UP TO BUT NOTINCLUDING 3000 FEET MSL WITHIN A 2 NAUTICALMILE RADIUS OF 3048N/08131W AND THECRAIG/CRG/ VORTAC 002 DEGREE RADIAL AT 27NAUTICAL MILES. JACKSONVILLE TRACON 904-741-0767 IS IN CHARGE OF THE OPERATION.MACON/MCN/ AFSS 478-784-1155 IS THE FAACOORDINATION FACILITY.

• Local airport advisory areas exist at airports where nocontrol tower is in operation but an AFSS is operating.Although they are not charted, they extend 10 sm from theairport. Within the airport advisory area, the AFSS givesadvisory service to arriving and departing traffic.

• Parachute jump areas are published locations whereparachuting operations occur. They are found in the Airport/Facility Directory and on sectional charts (seeFigure 17). Pilots should take care to remain clear ofthese areas. Aside from spotting jumpers visually, youcan learn when jumpers are in the air by monitoring the appropriate ATC frequency found on instrument enroute, approach charts, sectionals and terminal areacharts. When in the air, flight following is an excellentand quick source of jump information. Many jumpoperators also broadcast jump alerts on the commontraffic advisory frequency (CTAF) for airports whereparachute landing areas are located.

VFR charts also depict glider, hang glider, and ultralightoperations areas with symbology as shown in Figure 17.

• Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) may beimposed to keep aircraft from entering certain areas.TFRs are often issued on very short notice, for a varietyof reasons, and have become more prevalent since September 11, 2001. TFRs are issued by notam (see FAR 91.137).

Because of the last-minute nature of many TFRs, allpilots must use extra caution. Know where you are at alltimes, obtain at least a standard preflight briefing froman AFSS and request notams before your flight. Evenwhen the TFR is over an event or incident that may beinteresting to watch from the air, such as a wild fire or arocket launch, pilots should remember to stay clear ofthe TFR area. As pilot in command, it is your responsibil-ity to avoid all TFRs.

TFRs are established for a variety of reasons including:

• Protection of persons and property when low flying aircraft would increase a hazard over a ground incident.

• Providing a safe environment for disaster relief.

• Preventing unsafe congestion of sightseeing aircraft above an incident or event with a high degree of public interest.

Figure 17. Glider and Parachute Jump Areas


Graphical TFR Depictions• AOPA’s Real-Time Flight Planner

www.aopa.org/flight_planner/intro.html

Special Use Airspace• AOPA’s Special Use Airspace Web site

www.aopa.org/members/airports/sua.cfm

• FAA’s Special Use Airspace Web site www.sua.faa.gov

• Blanket notams are issued for a group of restrictionsor a change of operations.

Examples of blanket notams include:

• Voluntary avoidance of airspace near nuclear power plants, power plants, dams, refineries, industrial complexes, military facilities and other similar potentially sensitive facilities.

• Restrictions below 3,000 feet agl within a three-nm radius of any stadium having a seating capacity of 30,000 or more people in which a major league baseball, national football league, NCAA Division I football, or a major motor speedway event is occurring. These restrictions begin one hour before the scheduled start time of the event and expire one hour after the end of the event.

• A requirement for all pilots, if capable, to maintain a listening watch on the 121.5 emergency frequency and review intercept procedures as published in the Aeronautical Information Manual (see page 13).

Know Before You GoEducate yourself about security-related airspace withthe AOPA Air Safety Foundation’s free online course!

• Know Before You Gowww.asf.org/kbyg

For more FREE information on these and other aviation safety topics, visit

www.asf.org


If you are intercepted by a U.S. Military or law enforcement aircraft, immediately:

1. Follow the instructions given by the intercepting aircraft. (See chart above.)

2. Notify ATC, if possible.

3. Attempt to communicate with the intercepting aircraft and/or ATC on the emergency frequency 121.5 MHz, giving theidentity and position of your aircraft and the nature of the flight.

4. If equipped with a transponder, squawk 7700, unless otherwise instructed by ATC. If any instructions received by radiofrom any sources conflict with those given by the intercepting aircraft by visual or radio signals, request clarification whilecontinuing to comply with the instructions given by the intercepting aircraft.

5. If the intercepting aircraft dispenses flares, contact ATC immediately.

Approach Phase (day) Identification Phase Post Intercept Phase

Law Enforcement Aircraft

Rocks wings. After acknowledge-ment initiates a slow level turn, nor-mally to the left, onto the desiredheading.

Performs an abrupt breakawaymaneuver consisting of a climbing90-degree turn, or more, withoutcrossing the intercepted aircraft'sflight path.

Circles airport, lowers landing gear,and overflies runway in the direc-tion of landing.

Intercepted Aircraft

Raises landing gear while flyingover runway between 1,000' and2,000', and continues to circle theairport.

The pilot switches on and off allavailable lights at regular intervals.

The pilot switches on and offall available lights at irregularintervals.

Meaning

You have been inter-cepted. Follow me.

You may proceed.

Land at this airport.

Meaning

This airport is inadequate.

Cannot comply.

In distress.

Intercepted Aircraft

Rocks wings and follows. (Also, atnight flash navigational lights.)

Rocks wings.

Lowers landing gear, follows thelaw enforcement aircraft and landsif the runway is considered safe.(Also, at night turn the landinglights on.)

Law Enforcement Aircraft

If the intercepted aircraft is requ-ested to go to an alternate airport,the law enforcement aircraft raisesits landing gear and uses the inter-cept procedures.

Performs the breakaway maneuver.

Performs the breakaway maneuver.

Meaning

I understand and willcomply.



Meaning

Understood, followme.

Understood.

Understood.

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©Copyright 2006, AOPA Air Safety Foundation

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Got notams?

1-800-WX-BRIEF

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© Copyright 2007, AOPA Air Safety Foundation421 Aviation Way • Frederick, MD 21701

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AOPA - Airspace for Everyone