“Airspace Reservation” and “Exercises Scheduled”

CerroTorre

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Messages
136
Display Name

Display name:
CerroTorre
Is there an FAR reference to these types of NOTAMs that I’m not familiar with?

Do you all basically treat these the same as an MOA? Avoid if possible/convenient, proceed with caution to the extent called for, etc.

With Foreflight’s graphical display of these areas it’s something I notice frequently now (and was honestly completely clueless about previously).

Is it basically a way for the military to create a temporary MOA where none normally exists? Anything to be particularly aware of if you would like to fly into one (the current one over KLMT for example).

It seems strange that the military is able to operate outside of the standard regulatory structure and simply create a “reserved airspace” at will. I understand that if there are no restrictions instituted on other traffic that it can and maybe is functioning as purely advisory. But if that’s the case, the usage of the term “reservation” seems problematic since a reservation typically implies restrictions on others…

e.g.
“U76 CDC 10/092 ZLC AIRSPACE ACFT GND PROXIMITY TESTING WI AN AREA DEFINED AS 21NM RADIUS OF 430754.52N1154131.74W (2.25NM SE U76) SFC-17999FT 2210171300-2210212200”
 
Last edited:
Also, ForeFlight seems to display some in map view that don’t come up in their NOTAM section in the briefing section (again like in the above KLMT example). Anybody know why?
 
Funny, since ForeFlight started depicting NOTAMS I’ve become more aware of “pop-up” events, too.

Still, like you, I don’t really have a clue what to do with the information once I have it. It’s not a TFR, is it?

We get a lot of pop-up drone NOTAMS from DoD lately, but they are usually below 500 ft and easy to ignore. Around here we know to call the Navy over at NAS Oceana, since the restricted & warning zones along the coast are pretty sporadically used. Still, I don’t want to end up a hood ornament on an FA-18, they like to wow the beach goers as they cross the Boardwalk from seaward.

I’ll be interested to see what people think.
 
Opposing Bases had some discussion about this. AG, a member of the National Guard, said that a lot of preparation goes into those exercises. If, like an MOA, you just fly through, you upset a lot of planning and take away training from a number of people.
 
Opposing Bases had some discussion about this. AG, a member of the National Guard, said that a lot of preparation goes into those exercises. If, like an MOA, you just fly through, you upset a lot of planning and take away training from a number of people.
Thanks for the reference. I do like the OB podcast. I’m not advocating flying through military exercises whenever we please. I am looking for some regulatory clarity on “airspace reservations”. If it’s simply advisory NOTAMs then that would still be useful information. Right now it’s just a term that I’m not familiar with, is not in the regs that I find, and seems to be getting used frequently.

Regulations governing “airspace reservations” seem like they might, I dunno, be a “thing”. ;) Understanding the who/why/what seems pertinent to us operationally. Also, as a “concerned pilot”, why these are necessary above and beyond the existing military operational airspace already set aside, and what rules control it - that seems worth knowing.

In the end, I’m not all THAT worried about it. But it’s a curiosity that came up in the middle of studying … so here I am, down the rabbit hole. =)
 
Last edited:
From what I've seen, if non-participating aircraft are excluded from the airspace, it will say "temporary flight restriction" in the NOTAM, and it will be designated "FDC" which is regulatory.
 
If the airspace is regular airspace (not SUA) and not a TFR, then the NOTAM is just advisory and does not exclude other aircraft. An example is around Wichita:
!COU 01/219 ZKC AIRSPACE HIGH SPEED ACFT WI AN AREA DEFINED AS 100NM RADIUS OF ICT SFC-10000FT DLY SR-SS 2201051345-2212312321
 
Back
Top