42
votes
Accepted
Why would the Pakistan airspace closure cancel flights not headed to Pakistan itself?
To give an example of how flights can be affected by this in ways to make them impossible, Iranian airspace is closed from sunset to sunrise (unless things have changed recently).
Any aircraft that ...
- 16.1k
39
votes
Accepted
Can civilian aircraft fly through or land in restricted airspace in an emergency?
FAR 91.3 states that any pilot in command may deviate from any regulation or rules to the extent needed to deal with the emergency. That includes entering restricted or prohibited airspace.
In the ...
- 74.6k
34
votes
When flying VFR without GPS, how do pilots know if they are inside controlled airspace or not?
VFR aviation maps called "sectionals" (and now GPS map displays) depict the types of airspace through borders with different colors and dashed lines. You can buy or download the maps for free from ...
- 11.5k
23
votes
What does the "T" on sectional charts mean in reference to airspace altitude?
T is used to signify that the top of Class C airspace that lies under Class B is the bottom surface of that airspace. This is important when the Class C segment lies under multiple layers of Class B, ...
- 20.9k
20
votes
When flying VFR without GPS, how do pilots know if they are inside controlled airspace or not?
Use of a sectional chart and pilotage.
You will have to be aware of where you are using ground references while cross referencing where the boundaries of controlled airspace lies in relation to those ...
- 74.6k
20
votes
Accepted
Why do aircraft fly over Paris when they're forbidden from doing so?
This is a map from SkyVector with the airspace around Paris:
You can see several major airports like Charles De Gaulle and Le Bourget to the North East and Orly to the South. In the center, there is ...
- 57.6k
19
votes
Accepted
Reasoning Behind Individual Airspace Designations
Is there a site that explains the reasoning behind each individual
airspace designation?
No-- unless you consider the "Federal Register" to be a "site". The reasoning behind any ...
- 23k
18
votes
Accepted
What's usually going on in a "hot" military operations area (in the US)?
Military pilot here.
I can certainly understand why there's confusion surrounding MOA's, having been a Private Pilot long before I flew for the military, and I'm glad you asked the question.
The ...
- 376
18
votes
What is the legal altitude to fly through Yosemite Valley (US)?
Short answer: you can fly in Yosemite Valley at 500ft AGL (most likely); there's no special regulation applicable there; the wording on the sectional is a non-regulatory 'encouragement' only.
By ...
- 71.9k
18
votes
When flying VFR without GPS, how do pilots know if they are inside controlled airspace or not?
Generally: By Using a (Physical) Map
Aviation charts have landmarks and airspaces on them, which you can use to estimate where you're at. Other answers give great examples of this already, I don't ...
- 301
18
votes
Why would the Pakistan airspace closure cancel flights not headed to Pakistan itself?
Not mentioned in the other answers is simply logistics coordination. If you can't fly over Pakistan, that suggests that maybe you have to fly somewhere else. Perhaps flying around means an ...
- 5,901
16
votes
How precisely are airspace borders defined?
The boundaries are defined more precisely than the chart can show. What you see on the chart is a visual representation of the text published in JO 7400.9Z (or the most recent version of it):
AWP ...
- 71.9k
16
votes
What routes are available for airliners to fly from Europe to Japan without entering Russian airspace?
While it won't be the most efficient or direct routes, flights would be redirected South of Russian airspace.
They're probably avoiding Ukrainian air space too, just to be on the safe side. A quick ...
- 16.4k
16
votes
Why do airspace shelves look like upside down wedding cakes?
The purpose of airspace classes is to establish areas in which regulations are compatible with and appropriate for the type of traffic expected in that area and the ATC services provided for that ...
- 14.4k
15
votes
What are the differences between a VOR and a VORTAC?
VOR stands for VHF Omnidirectional Range. It is a navigation beacon intended for civil use and provides a user with a radial to/from the station. It works on frequencies between 108.00 and 117.95 MHz....
- 83.8k
15
votes
Can civilian aircraft fly through or land in restricted airspace in an emergency?
Being an air traffic controller I know this situation is not as simple as that.
Given emergency category pilot can decide to use restricted area or land a military runway. But in the mean time pilot ...
- 151
15
votes
Why would the Pakistan airspace closure cancel flights not headed to Pakistan itself?
There are multiple reasons for cancelling instead of rerouting:
Take-off & landing slot assignments
You may have a pair of slots available and your regularly scheduled flight uses them. ...
- 16.4k
14
votes
What does the "T" on sectional charts mean in reference to airspace altitude?
You can start many "what does this thing on an FAA chart mean" questions with the FAA's Aeronautical Chart User's Guide. It doesn't go into a deep explanation, but does show it as an ...
- 5,901
13
votes
Can civilian aircraft fly through or land in restricted airspace in an emergency?
It's a principle handed down to aviation from the traditional laws of the sea: Any port in a storm.
In fact, if a pilot declares an emergency and asks for vectors to the nearest suitable landing ...
- 131
13
votes
Why are both ATC and TCAS tasked to prevent collisions although TCAS takes precedence anyway?
While ATC's primary goal is to prevent collisions, it is also responsible for the efficient movement of aircraft through the airspace. That requires a strategic approach to managing air traffic to get ...
- 20.1k
12
votes
Accepted
What is a listening squawk?
A listening squawk is a transponder code you set to indicate to an ATC controller that you are listening out on a particular frequency.
Unlike squawk codes assigned by the controller, the listening ...
- 953
12
votes
Accepted
What is the difference between published and unpublished waypoints?
Published waypoints are waypoints that appear on the charts and in the published navigation databases used by GPS navigators or FMSes. They are referenced using the published identifier for the ...
- 20.1k
11
votes
Can civilian aircraft fly through or land in restricted airspace in an emergency?
First, Groom Lake is a lousy example, because it's located roughly smack in the middle of the always-busy Nellis Range Complex, which keeps nonparticipating aircraft far, far away. (The only ...
11
votes
How close can I fly to a bridge?
If operating under VFR rules, which your pilot probably is if he's attempting to stop you actually hitting the bridge in question and allow you good enough visibility to take a photograph in the first ...
- 35.2k
11
votes
What is the legal altitude to fly through Yosemite Valley (US)?
(Edit: removed text about "legality") Flying "down into the valley" (even if laterally separated from all sides by more than 2000 feet, and remaining more than 2000 feet above the surface) goes ...
- 2,869
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