AIM Text
- 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 14 CFR part 73.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Permanent restricted areas are charted on Sectional Aeronautical, VFR Terminal Area, and the appropriate En Route charts.
Source: FAA Aeronautical Information Manual · current edition · paragraph 3-4-3.
Research Notes
AIM 3-4-3 covers Restricted Areas — airspace with activity that may be hazardous to non-participating aircraft.
Restricted area activities: Artillery firing, aerial gunnery, missiles, low-altitude high-speed training. Activities are typically intermittent — restricted area is active during specific hours or by NOTAM.
Operations in restricted areas:
- Not authorized when restricted area is active, unless permission from using/controlling agency
- ATC may release a restricted area for transit when not active
- VFR and IFR operations both subject to the same restriction
Identifying activity: Effective hours on the sectional chart. Detailed information in the Chart Supplement. Real-time status via the using/controlling agency or ATC.