Section 3. ATCAA and MOA Procedures

  1. REQUIREMENT
  1. Each ATC-assigned airspace (ATCAA)/military operations area (MOA) must have a designated military unit responsible for scheduling all military flights intending to use the airspace. If the designated military unit does not have a continuous point of contact—i.e., a unit subject to deployment or a unit not available during normal work days (Air National Guard unit working Wednesday through Sunday)—then an alternate scheduling agency will be designated. ATCAA/MOAs must not be used for military training/ research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) unless scheduled by the scheduling agency.
  2. Procedures governing operations within ATCAAs and MOAs must be specified in letters of agreement authorized (signed) by the controlling facility Air Traffic manager and the military representative of the originating/scheduling agency (primary or alternate). The alternate scheduling agency will have the same responsibilities as the primary scheduling agency. Procedures must be developed to ensure continuity of scheduling functions so that the primary and alternate scheduling agencies do not schedule airspace simultaneously.
  1. USING AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES

When the use of an ATCAA/MOA has been requested, as specified in the letter of agreement, the using agency must:

  1. Determine priority of use and advise all users of the pertinent procedures contained in the letter of agreement.
  2. Establish a real-time activity schedule indicating airspace use times and forward the schedule and any subsequent changes to the controlling agency.
  3. Develop procedures with the military using units to ensure that they inform the scheduling agency, as soon as possible, of any periods of nonuse (1 hour or longer) after the initial schedule has been established.

NOTE-

Efficient management of ATCAAs/MOAs require that activity schedules reflect the real-time use of the airspace. After the initial activity schedule has been coordinated and established, maintenance problems, weather conditions, etc., can cause military using units to cancel previously scheduled missions. To provide FAA and the civil airspace users with actual (real-time) ATCAA/MOA activity schedules, it is essential that the military using units inform the scheduling agency of those unscheduled periods of nonuse so that the information can be disseminated to all interested parties.

  1. CONTROLLING AGENCY RESPONSIBILITY
  1. The controlling agency (normally an ARTCC) must originate a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) for MOA activity scheduled for other than published times as follows:
  1. The MOA contains a NOTAM provision in its times of use legal description.
  2. The MOA can only be activated by NOTAM.
  1. The NOTAM for MOA activity scheduled for other than published use times must be issued at least 2 hours prior to the beginning of the planned activity.

REFERENCE-

FAA Order 7930.2 Notices to Air Missions (NOTAM), Para 6-1-2, Special Activity Airspace (SAA).

  1. ATC CONTROL WITHIN ATCAAs AND MOAs

ATCAAs and MOAs may be controlled by an ATC facility. Every effort should be made to provide instrument flight rules (IFR) service within these areas when requested by the military:

  1. When IFR service is provided by the ATC facility within the area, the separation within the area is the responsibility of the ATC facility unless MARSA is established in accordance with paragraph 2-1-8, Use of Military Authority Assumes Responsibility for Separation of Aircraft (MARSA).
  2. The pilot, when cleared into the area, is responsible for remaining within the area, whether visual flight rules (VFR) or IFR; however, the ATC facility should assist the pilot when the aircraft is under its control.
  1. NONRADAR AND COMMUNICATIONS

ATCAAs and MOAs may be established in airspace where radar and/or direct communication is not available. Procedures concerning these areas must be specified in a letter of agreement.