Section 1. General

  1. PURPOSE

This chapter establishes policy and prescribes uniform procedures to request an Air Traffic Control Assigned Airspace (ATCAA) within the National Airspace System (NAS). ATCAAs can be requested by either military or non-military users. Non-military activities which may require the creation of an ATCAA include, but are not limited to, operations such as high-performance aircraft testing, glider operations, or space launch and reentry operations.

  1. TERMS

The following terms will be used throughout this chapter:

  1. ATCAA with Special Use Airspace (SUA). An ATCAA that is established and used in conjunction with SUA. These ATCAAs are normally established above the SUA, beginning at Flight Level (FL) 180. These ATCAAs with SUA are also referred to as a SUA/ATCAA complex.
  2. Stand-alone ATCAA. An ATCAA that is established independently for a separate purpose and not associated with SUA. These ATCAAs can extend anywhere from the surface to FL600, although their floor is normally FL180.
  3. Controlling Agency. The controlling agency is the ATC facility, normally an FAA ARTCC, that exercises control of the airspace when the ATCAA is not active. For ATCAAs that cross ATC facility boundaries, the controlling agency should be the ATC facility which controls the preponderance of airspace within which the ATCAA is established. However, a military ATC facility may be assigned as the controlling agency, subject to the concurrence of the Service Center OSG and the concerned ARTCC.

NOTE-

A military ATC facility controlling agency must coordinate ATCAA approval recommendations with the Service Center OSG for their concurrence prior to establishing or amending an ATCAA.

  1. Using Agency. The using agency is the military unit or other organization whose activity established the requirement for the ATCAA and is responsible for ensuring:
  1. The airspace is used only for its designated purpose.
  2. Proper scheduling procedures are established and utilized.
  3. The controlling agency is informed of changes in scheduled activity, to include the completion of activities for the day.
  4. A point of contact is made available to enable the controlling agency to verify schedules, coordinate access for emergencies, weather diversions, etc., and recall the airspace when required.
  1. POLICY
  1. If an ATCAA with SUA is being established or modified at the same time as the SUA, the impact of the use of the ATCAA should be evaluated jointly with proposals for the SUA. Proponents should follow the process laid out in FAA Order JO 7400.2, Chapter 21, Section 3, SUA Proposals.
  2. All requests to establish or modify an ATCAA will be processed by the controlling agency and coordinated with any other affected ATC facilities. The controlling agency is the approving agency for the use of an ATCAA.
  3. DoD ATCAAs in the NAS will have a floor at or above FL180.
  1. Any DoD activities below FL180 in NAS airspace, which require dedicated airspace, must be conducted in the appropriate type of SUA and not within an ATCAA. Follow the procedures defined in FAA Order JO 7400.2 for SUA proposal actions.
  2. DoD ATCAAs may extend below FL180 in international airspace where the U.S. provides ATC services and where a warning area is not appropriate.
  1. For any ATCAA proposals—civil or military—it is the proponent's responsibility to ensure the proposal content is complete in accordance with this Order before the ATCAA proposal is submitted to the controlling agency. The controlling agency is responsible to ensure all required actions are completed before the ATCAA can be established or modified.
  2. The ATCAA proposal request should include an informal preliminary environmental feasibility assessment for the proposed use of the ATCAA. Prior to the airspace proposal being approved by the FAA, all ATCAA proponents are required to conduct a formal NEPA environmental review of potential impacts of proposed actions that will take place in the ATCAA. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews will be processed by the responsible Service Center Environmental Protection Specialist (EPS). See paragraph 9-3-1 for required NEPA actions.
  3. ATCAAs will be effective once the FAA NEPA adoption, controlling agency decision, and a Letter of Agreement are signed by all responsible parties.