Special Use Airspace

[stufer]

Hi there

I'm not sure if I'm in the right forum to ask this so apologies if not.

I have just started out using Plan G and I love it! I have done the tutorial flight as mentioned in the manual and that was very well done and has got me through the basics nicely.

I have a question about the special use airspace however. In FSX, I fly around Nottingham (where I live) and Cornwall (where I like visiting) and in both areas there is marked special use airspace. I'm not sure what the rules are in flying through it and I am having trouble locating this information on the web.

East of Nottingham is a very large training area that when I hover the mouse over, it says +2500 so I assume that I cannot fly higher than 2500 ft when flying VFR - is that right? Are there any times that I could fly there?

Then over Cornwall, the whole tip of the peninsular is covered grey and it says SFC - 5500 so does that mean that I can only fly there above 5500 ft? What if I take off from Land's End, which is in that airspace?

In both areas, could I fly there if I ask for permission?

I am not a pilot in real life so this isn't obvious to me!

Many thanks for this superb programme.

Cheers
Stu.

[tim arnot]

'Special Use' airspace is a catch-all term for airspace that is either defined by a national authority or otherwise does not fall into the standard ICAO classes A - G. What you can do in that airspace depends on the 'special use'. Some of it is pretty obvious... Prohibited means keep out under all circumstances (typically a protection zone around sensitive installations - military, nuclear sites etc). Restricted means there are restrictions on who can fly there, or when (for example prisons often have a restriction preventing helicopters flying close to them). The specific restrictions for each airspace are detailed on aviation charts and published in the AIP. ( http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/public/index.php.html ) Danger areas might typically be military firing ranges. You're not specifically excluded, but it would be unwise to enter, particularly if they are 'hot' (In the real world, a crossing service is available from military ATC, enabling you to successfully dodge the bullets...)

Training areas are just that: areas used for military training. There is no access restriction (in the UK, anyhow), you just need to be aware that there will be a lot of traffic, including military fast jets, helicopters etc, potentially at very low level.

But because these non-standard airspaces are defined on a country by country basis, you really need to read each country's AIP if you want to know exactly what is or isn't allowed.

[stufer]

Thanks very much for your reply Tim. That's really helpful.

And thanks also for the link - it looks like that will be a lot of reading!

I'm getting more into the idea of doing more realistic flights so planning them with Plan G and then executing them is proving to be very rewarding.

With these grey Training areas then, I'll enter them but just be more observant. I have mytraffic x installed which does actually put military aircraft in these areas, which is a bonus.

All the best,
Stu.