On this chart you can see two different types of Special Use Airspace;
a Military Operations Area (MOA) and a Restricted Area.
So now with that in mind, let's take a look at some of the more interesting features of this area.
R-4808 N is part of a sprawing section of the Nevada desert called the Nellis Air Force Range. You can see in the chart section on the right that although Groom Lake is shown, there isn't an airport depicted.
A friend of mine relates the following history of the area.
The military had a number of training fields in Nevada during WWII -- lots of open space so fewer innocents perished when their training goals were, uh, not achieved. Though there probably was some secret stuff in Nevada during the war, the 509th Bomb Group (the B-29 outfit that made the Special Deliveries to Hiroshima and Nagasaki) actually trained stateside at Wendover, Utah.
After the first nuclear device was detonated in the Journada del Muerto North of Alamogordo, New Mexico in 1945, subsequent atomic tests were moved to Nevada by the newly formed Atomic Energy Commission. This area suddenly became very private.
In late December, 1954 Clarence "Kelly" Johnson, the founder of Lockheed's Skunk Works, received a check for $1.2 million dollars at his home via the US Mail. This was part of the elaborate security surrounding a CIA project known as "Aquatone". The money was actually the first contract payment for what eventually was known as the U-2. Lockheed needed a private, wide open place to test the super secret prototype and found it on AEC property at Groom Lake, which the Skunk Works people nicknamed "The Ranch". CIA Article 342, the U-2 prototype, made its first flight at Groom Lake on August 1, 1955. Groom
Lake was also the site for first flights of Oxcart, the Y-12/SR-71 prototype; Have Blue, the proof of concept aircraft for the F-117 and the F-117A itself. Various Northrop low observables ("Stealth") testbeds have also operated from Groom Lake. This is also the site of alleged flights of "Aurora", the unverified Mach 5+ successor to the SR-71 (another story for another day). About 15 years ago an Air Force pilot friend of mine mentioned that the call
sign of the military radar controllers of the airspace around Groom Lake was "Dreamland".
Well, lots of folks think lots of different things about this area.
Why don't we have a look at it?
In the lower left portion of the chart, you'll see a private airstrip named YUCCA that you'd need the Department of Energy's permission to land on. Since it also is under a portion of R-4808 N, don't count on getting that.
Near the YUCCA airstrip are a couple of lattitude and longitude lines; 37°n and 116°w. The lines are marked in one minute increments, with a full line running the length and width of the chart in 30 minute increments. Numbers increase to the north and west. Each minute of latitude equalls approximately one nautical mile.
Near 37°22'n 115°11'w is a non-paved airport that you could legally fly into called ALAMO.
By the way, the infamous Tikaboo Peak is the mountain just to the west of ALAMO with it's peak at 7976 above mean sea level.
To the east of ALAMO you can see hi-way 93, which leads up to hi-way 375, the so-called "Extra-terrestrial" hi-way.
Military Training Routes (MTRs) are indicated on the chart only by their centerline. MTRs are for the purpose of conducting low altitude, high-speed training above 250 knots. Routes starting with the letters VR are meant to be flown in visual conditions and IR in the instument mode. Routes with no segment over 1,500 feet above ground level have four number designations and those with segments above 1,500 AGL have three. In this instance there is also the addition of an arrow that marks it as a one-way route.
Everything within the blue striped lines is Restricted Airspace and would require prior permission before entering. Again, don't count on ever getting that.
Everything within the magenta striped lines is an MOA.
Although a pilot operating under VFR is neither required to obtain a clearance nor is legally required to contact ATC before entering an MOA, it is a good idea to do so anyway.
I've heard of a few instances where pilots have been surprised by what they've seen within MOAs. Some have felt they've had fairly close calls in an area they thought was not in operation.
I'd never attempt to fly into R-4808 N and it's associated "Groom Lake" area, but as you might be able to see there is an MOA just to the east over Tikaboo Valley that looks like something I might try. It's that area just on the other side of the magenta stripes and does not require permission to fly in. Hmmm . . . If you were REALLY careful, you might be able to get within about 13 nautical miles of the infamous Area 51 airport. This is considerably closer than the view from Tikaboo Peak.
Footnotes
Back to the lesson
Information below may NOT be totally up-to-date.
Please check your own current copy of the The Pilot/Controller Glossary .
The Pilot/Controller Glossary defines the following;
Airspace of defined dimensions identified by an area on the surface of the earth wherein activities must be confined because of their nature and/or wherein limitations may be imposed upon aircraft operations that are not a part of those activities. Types of special use airspace are:
1. Alert Area. Airspace which may contain a high volume of pilot training activities or an unusual type of aerial activity, neither of which is hazardous to aircraft. Alert Areas are depicted on aeronautical charts for the information of nonparticipating pilots. All activities within an Alert Area are conducted in accordance with Federal Aviation Regulations, and pilots of participating aircraft as well as pilots transiting the area are equally responsible for collision avoidance.
2. Controlled Firing Area. Airspace wherein activities are conducted under conditions so controlled as to eliminate hazards to nonparticipating aircraft and to ensure the safety of persons and property on the ground.
3. Military Operations Area (MOA). An MOA is an airspace assignment of defined vertical and lateral dimensions established outside Class A airspace to separate/segregate certain military activities from IFR traffic and to identify for VFR traffic where these activities are conducted. (Refer to AIM).
4. Prohibited Area. Designated airspace within which the flight of aircraft is prohibited. (Refer to En Route Charts, AIM).
5. Restricted Area. Airspace designated under Part 73, within which the flight of aircraft, while not wholly prohibited, is subject to restriction. Most restricted areas are designated joint use and IFR/VFR operations in the area may be authorized by the controlling ATC facility when it is not being utilized by the using agency. Restricted areas are depicted on en route charts. Where joint use is authorized, the name of the ATC controlling facility is also shown. (Refer to Part 73) (Refer to AIM)
6. Warning Area. Airspace which may contain hazards to nonparticipating aircraft in international airspace.
Information below may NOT be totally up-to-date.
Please check your own current copy of the AIM.
3-30. GENERAL
Updated: 01/06/94
a. Special use airspace consists of that airspace wherein activities must be confined because of their nature, or wherein limitations are imposed upon aircraft operations that are not a part of those activities, or both. Except for Controlled Firing Areas, special use airspace areas are depicted on aeronautical charts.
b. Prohibited and Restricted Areas are regulatory special use airspace and are established in FAR Part 73 through the rulemaking process.
c. Warning Areas, Military Operations Areas, Alert Areas, and Controlled Firing Areas are nonregulatory special use airspace.
d. All special use airspace descriptions are contained in FAA Order 7400.8.
e. Special use airspace (except CFA's) are charted on IFR and Visual charts and includes the hours of operation, altitudes, and the controlling agency.
FAAAIMP03031
3-31. PROHIBITED AREA
Updated: 01/06/94
Prohibited Areas contain airspace of defined dimensions identified by an area on the surface of the earth within which the flight of aircraft is prohibited. Such areas are established for security or other reasons associated with the national welfare. These areas are published in the Federal Register and are depicted on aeronautical charts.
FAAAIMP03032
Updated: 01/06/94
a. Restricted Areas contain airspace identified by an area on the surface of the earth within which the flight of aircraft, while not wholly prohibited, is subject to restrictions. Activities within these areas must be confined because of their nature or limitations imposed upon aircraft operations that are not a part of those activities or both. Restricted areas denote the existence of unusual, often invisible, hazards to aircraft such as artillery firing, aerial gunnery, or guided missiles. Penetration of Restricted Areas without authorization from the using or controlling agency may be extremely hazardous to the aircraft and its occupants. Restricted Areas are published in the Federal Register and constitute FAR Part 73.
b. ATC facilities apply the following procedures when aircraft are operating on an IFR clearance (including those cleared by ATC to maintain VFR-ON-TOP) via a route which lies within joint-use restricted airspace.
1. If the restricted area is not active and has been released to the controlling agency (FAA), the ATC facility will allow the aircraft to operate in the restricted airspace without issuing specific clearance for it to do so.
2. If the restricted area is active and has not been released to the controlling agency (FAA), the ATC facility will issue a clearance which will ensure the aircraft avoids 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.
3-32b2 NOTE--The above apply only to joint-use restricted airspace and not to prohibited and nonjoint-use airspace. For the latter 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. Restricted airspace is depicted on the En Route Chart appropriate for use at the altitude or flight level being flown. For joint-use restricted areas, the name of the controlling agency is shown on these charts. For all prohibited areas and nonjoint-use restricted areas, unless otherwise requested by the using agency, the phrase ``NO A/G'' is shown.
FAAAIMP03033
3-33. WARNING AREA
Updated: 01/06/94
Warning Areas are airspace which may contain hazards to nonparticipating aircraft in international airspace. Warning Areas are established beyond the 3 mile limit. Though the activities conducted within Warning Areas may be as hazardous as those in Restricted Areas, Warning Areas cannot be legally designated as Restricted Areas because they are over international waters. Penetration of Warning Areas during periods of activity may be hazardous to the aircraft and its occupants. Official descriptions of Warning Areas may be obtained on request to the FAA, Washington, D.C.
FAAAIMP03034
3-34. MILITARY OPERATIONS AREAS (MOA)
Updated: 01/06/94
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. Most training activities necessitate acrobatic or abrupt flight maneuvers. Military pilots conducting flight in Department of Defense aircraft within a designated and active military operations area (MOA) are exempted from the provisions of FAR Part 91.303(c) and (d) which prohibit acrobatic flight within Federal airways and Class B, Class C, Class D, and Class E surface areas.
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 MOA's 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. MOA's are depicted on Sectional, VFR Terminal Area, and En Route Low Altitude Charts.
FAAAIMP03035
3-35. ALERT AREA
Updated: 01/06/94
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 shall be conducted in accordance with FARs, without waiver, and pilots of participating aircraft as well as pilots transiting the area shall be equally responsible for collision avoidance. Information concerning these areas may be obtained upon request to the FAA, Washington, D.C.
FAAAIMP03036
3-36. CONTROLLED FIRING AREAS
Updated: 01/06/94
Controlled Firing Areas contain activities which, if not conducted in a controlled environment, could be hazardous to nonparticipating aircraft. The distinguishing feature of the Controlled Firing Area, 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 Controlled Firing Areas since they do not cause a nonparticipating aircraft to change its flight path.
FAAAIMP03037
3-37 thru 3-39. RESERVED
Updated: 01/06/94
FAAAIMP03040
3-41. MILITARY TRAINING ROUTES (MTR)
Updated: 01/06/94
a. National security depends largely on the deterrent effect of our airborne military forces. To be proficient, the military services must train in a wide range of airborne tactics. One phase of this training involves ``low level'' combat tactics. The required maneuvers and high speeds are such that they may occasionally make the see-and-avoid aspect of VFR flight more difficult without increased vigilance in areas containing such operations. In an effort to ensure the greatest practical level of safety for all flight operations, the MTR program was conceived.
b. The MTRs program is a joint venture by the FAA and the Department of Defense (DOD). MTR routes are mutually developed for use by the military for the purpose of conducting low-altitude, high-speed training. The routes above 1,500 feet above ground level (AGL) are developed to be flown, to the maximum extent possible, under IFR. The routes at 1,500 feet AGL and below are generally developed to be flown under Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
c. Generally, MTRs are established below 10,000 feet MSL for operations at speeds in excess of 250 knots. However, route segments may be defined at higher altitudes for purposes of route continuity. For example, route segments may be defined for descent, climbout, and mountainous terrain. There are IFR and VFR routes as follows:
1. IFR Military Training Routes--IR: Operations on these routes are conducted in accordance with IFRs regardless of weather conditions.
2. VFR Military Training Routes--VR: Operations on these routes are conducted in accordance with VFRs except, flight visibility shall be 5 miles or more; and flights shall not be conducted below a ceiling of less than 3,000 feet AGL.
d. Military training routes will be identified and charted as follows:
1. Route identification.
(a) MTRs with no segment above 1,500 feet AGL shall be identified by four number characters; e.g., IR1206, VR1207.
(b) MTRs that include one or more segments above 1,500 feet AGL shall be identified by three number characters; e.g., IR206, VR207.
(c) Alternate IR/VR routes or route segments are identified by using the basic/principal route designation followed by a letter suffix, e.g., IR008A, VR1007B, etc.
2. Route charting.
(a) IFR Low Altitude En Route Chart--This chart will depict all IR routes and all VR routes that accommodate operations above 1,500 feet AGL.
(b) VFR Planning Chart--This chart will depict routes (military training activities such as IR and VR regardless of altitude), MOAs, and restricted, warning and alert areas.
(c) Area Planning (AP/1B) Chart (DOD Flight Information Publication--FLIP). This chart is published by the DOD primarily for military users and contains detailed information on both IR and VR routes. (Reference--Auxiliary Charts, paragraph 9-6).
e. The FLIP contains charts and narrative descriptions of these routes. This publication is available to the general public by single copy