AIM 

4/20/23 

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. 

Permanent restricted areas are charted on Sectional Aeronautical, VFR Terminal Area, and the appropriate 

En Route charts. 

NOTE

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Temporary restricted areas are not charted. 

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4.  Warning Areas 

A warning area is airspace of defined dimensions, extending from three nautical miles outward from the coast 

of the U.S., that contains activity that may be hazardous to nonparticipating aircraft. The purpose of such warning 

areas is to warn nonparticipating pilots of the potential danger. A warning area may be located over domestic 

or international waters or both. 

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5.  Military Operations Areas 

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. 

Examples of activities conducted in MOAs include, but are not limited to: air combat tactics, air intercepts, 

aerobatics, formation training, and low

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altitude tactics. Military pilots flying in an active MOA are exempted 

from the provisions of 14 CFR Section 91.303(c) and (d) which prohibits aerobatic flight within Class D and 

Class E surface areas, and within Federal airways. Additionally, the Department of Defense has been issued an 

authorization to operate aircraft at indicated airspeeds in excess of 250 knots below 10,000 feet MSL within 

active MOAs. 

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 MOAs 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. 

Permanent MOAs are charted on Sectional Aeronautical, VFR Terminal Area, and the appropriate En 

Route Low Altitude charts. 

NOTE

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Temporary MOAs are not charted. 

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6.  Alert Areas 

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 must be conducted in accordance with CFRs, without waiver, and 

pilots of participating aircraft as well as pilots transiting the area must be equally responsible for collision 

avoidance. 

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7.  Controlled Firing Areas 

CFAs contain activities which, if not conducted in a controlled environment, could be hazardous to 

nonparticipating aircraft. The distinguishing feature of the CFA, 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 CFAs since they do not cause a nonparticipating 

aircraft to change its flight path. 

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Special Use Airspace