Regulation Text
(a) No person may operate an aircraft within a restricted area (designated in part 73) contrary to the restrictions imposed, or within a prohibited area, unless that person has the permission of the using or controlling agency, as appropriate.
(b) Each person conducting, within a restricted area, an aircraft operation (approved by the using agency) that creates the same hazards as the operations for which the restricted area was designated may deviate from the rules of this subpart that are not compatible with the operation of the aircraft.
Research Notes
Section 91.133 governs operations in restricted and prohibited areas. These two airspace categories are reserved for activities that pose unusual hazards to non-participating aircraft or for security and national interest.
Restricted areas (R-XXXX): Established when ongoing or intermittent activities make flight inadvisable but not impossible. Examples: artillery firing, aerial gunnery, guided missiles, low-altitude high-speed military training. Restricted areas are charted with their effective hours (frequently 'continuous' on military training ranges or 'by NOTAM').
Operations in a restricted area: Paragraph (a) provides that no person may operate an aircraft within a restricted area contrary to the restrictions imposed unless they have permission from the using or controlling agency. ATC sometimes assigns routes through restricted areas when the using agency has released the area. The using/controlling agencies are charted on the sectional and listed in the AFD/Chart Supplement.
Prohibited areas (P-XXX): No person may operate an aircraft within a prohibited area at any time. Examples: P-40 (Camp David), P-49 (Texas White House — when designated), P-56 (NCA/National Capital Region), P-67 (Bush family compound — formerly active). Prohibited areas are absolutely off-limits.
Paragraph (b) — Joint use vs Sole use: Some restricted areas are 'joint use' — meaning when the using agency is not active, ATC may release them for other use. The user can verify status by contacting ATC or checking NOTAMs and the AFD/Chart Supplement.
Penalty exposure: Penetrating restricted or prohibited airspace without authorization carries significant enforcement consequences — civil penalty, certificate suspension, and possibly criminal referral (49 USC § 46307 for prohibited areas, particularly P-56 over D.C.). The DC SFRA and FRZ rules layer additional requirements (see § 91.161).
Reference: AIM 3-4 on Special Use Airspace; FAA-H-8083-25 (PHAK) Chapter 15.
Amendment History
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