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AIM 

4/20/23

 

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Special Use Airspace

categories, the ATC facility will issue a clearance so the aircraft will avoid the restricted airspace unless it is on an approved
altitude reservation mission or has obtained its own permission to operate in the airspace and so informs the controlling
facility.

c.

Permanent restricted areas are charted on Sectional Aeronautical, VFR Terminal Area, and the appropriate

En Route charts.

NOTE

Temporary restricted areas are not charted.

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4. Warning Areas

A warning area is airspace of defined dimensions, extending from three nautical miles outward from the coast
of the U.S., that contains activity that may be hazardous to nonparticipating aircraft. The purpose of such warning
areas is to warn nonparticipating pilots of the potential danger. A warning area may be located over domestic
or international waters or both.

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5. Military Operations Areas

a.

MOAs consist of airspace of defined vertical and lateral limits established for the purpose of separating

certain military training activities from IFR traffic. Whenever a MOA is being used, nonparticipating IFR traffic
may be cleared through a MOA if IFR separation can be provided by ATC. Otherwise, ATC will reroute or restrict
nonparticipating IFR traffic.

b.

Examples of activities conducted in MOAs include, but are not limited to: air combat tactics, air intercepts,

aerobatics, formation training, and low

altitude tactics. Military pilots flying in an active MOA are exempted

from the provisions of 14 CFR Section 91.303(c) and (d) which prohibits aerobatic flight within Class D and
Class E surface areas, and within Federal airways. Additionally, the Department of Defense has been issued an
authorization to operate aircraft at indicated airspeeds in excess of 250 knots below 10,000 feet MSL within
active MOAs.

c.

Pilots operating under VFR should exercise extreme caution while flying within a MOA when military

activity is being conducted. The activity status (active/inactive) of MOAs may change frequently. Therefore,
pilots should contact any FSS within 100 miles of the area to obtain accurate real-time information concerning
the MOA hours of operation. Prior to entering an active MOA, pilots should contact the controlling agency for
traffic advisories.

d.

Permanent MOAs are charted on Sectional Aeronautical, VFR Terminal Area, and the appropriate En

Route Low Altitude charts.

NOTE

Temporary MOAs are not charted.

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6. Alert Areas

Alert areas are depicted on aeronautical charts to inform nonparticipating pilots of areas that may contain a high
volume of pilot training or an unusual type of aerial activity. Pilots should be particularly alert when flying in
these areas. All activity within an alert area must be conducted in accordance with CFRs, without waiver, and
pilots of participating aircraft as well as pilots transiting the area must be equally responsible for collision
avoidance.

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7. Controlled Firing Areas

CFAs contain activities which, if not conducted in a controlled environment, could be hazardous to
nonparticipating aircraft. The distinguishing feature of the CFA, as compared to other special use airspace, is that
its activities are suspended immediately when spotter aircraft, radar, or ground lookout positions indicate an
aircraft might be approaching the area. There is no need to chart CFAs since they do not cause a nonparticipating
aircraft to change its flight path.