Controlled Airspace Definitions

Definitions

• Controlled airspace represents an airspace of defined dimensions. It offers air traffic control service based on airspace classification
• Controlled airspace includes ATS airspace Classes A, B, C, D, and E
• Air traffic services (ATS) airspaces are defined airspaces, alphabetically designated, specifying flight types and operational rules.
• ATS airspaces are classified from Class A to G
• A controlled aerodrome is where air traffic control provides services to aerodrome traffic
• A "controlled aerodrome" means air traffic control assists aerodrome traffic, but a control zone is not necessarily implied
• A controlled flight pertains to any flight that requires air traffic control clearance
• A control zone is controlled airspace that extends upward from the Earth's surface up to a certain limit
• A restricted area is a defined airspace above land or territorial waters of a state where aircraft flight is limited by specific conditions
• A prohibited area exists above land or territorial waters of a state, where aircrafts are not allowed to fly
• A danger area is a defined airspace where activities that are considered dangerous to aircraft may take place at certain times

Establishment of Authority

• Contracting States determine airspace portions and aerodromes needing air traffic services per Annex 11 provisions in areas under their jurisdiction
• These States arrange establishment and provision of services according to Annex 11 provisions
• By mutual agreement, a State can delegate establishing and providing air traffic services to another State in particular regions, areas, or zones
• Delegating air traffic services should not undermine national sovereignty
• A providing State's responsibility is limited to technical and operational matters regarding aircraft safety in the concerned airspace
• Providing States adhere to delegating State requirements and both aim to establish jointly agreed necessary facilities
• Delegating States must consult providing States before withdrawing or modifying facilities
• Both parties can terminate their agreement at any time
• Airspace portions over high seas or areas of undetermined sovereignty are determined by regional air navigation agreements
• A contracting State accepting responsibility for air traffic services arranges the establishment and provisions according to Annex 11

Air Navigation Agreements

• "Regional air navigation agreements" refer to those approved by the ICAO Council based on advice from Regional Air Navigation Meetings
• When approving the Foreword to Annex, the Council indicated that States providing air traffic services over high seas or airspace of undetermined sovereignty may use standards and practices mirroring their jurisdiction's airspace

Designating Authority for Air Traffic Services

• States designate authorities responsible for providing air traffic services
• This authority may be a State or a suitable Agency
• Scenarios involving establishing and providing air traffic services over parts or all of an international flight:
• Situation 1: A route within a State's airspace where it provides its own air traffic services
• Situation 2: A route within a State's airspace where another State is delegated to provide air traffic services by agreement
• Situation 3: In airspace over high seas or undetermined sovereignty where a State provides air traffic services
• For Annex 11, the State designates the authority for establishing and providing air traffic services
• In Situation 1, It's the State with sovereignty over the relevant airspace
• In Situation 2, It's the State delegated responsibility for air traffic services
• In Situation 3, It's the State that has accepted responsibility for providing air traffic services
• Necessary information is published where air traffic services are available to allow for the utilization of those services

Determination of Need for Air Traffic Services

• The need for air traffic services is assessed by evaluating:
• Types of air traffic
• Density of air traffic
• Meteorological conditions
• Other relevant factors
• Due to numerous factors, specific data cannot determine air traffic service needs for a particular area or location
• Mixed types of air traffic with aircraft of varying speeds may necessitate air traffic services
• In contrast, a relatively greater traffic density with only one type of operation may not
• Meteorological conditions can greatly affect areas with constant air traffic
• Similar meteorological conditions can be unimportant in an area where air traffic is discontinued
• Open stretches of water, mountainous, uninhabited, or desert areas might require air traffic services even if operations are infrequent
• The need for air traffic services is not determined by airborne collision avoidance systems

Designation of Airspace and Aerodromes

• Portions of airspace or aerodromes get designated based on the air traffic services to be provided
• Excluding certain military areas, the Air Traffic Services cover airspace over Indian Territory, its waters, and high seas by Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai Flight Information Regions
• Flight information regions are airspace portions where flight information and alerting service will be provided
• India's Flight Information Centres include Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Guwahati, designated as Delhi FIR, Mumbai FIR, Kolkata FIR, Chennai FIR, and Guwahati Sub-FIR respectively
• Control Zone (CTR): Controlled airspace extending upwards from earth's surface to the specified upper limit
• Control Area (CTA): Controlled airspace stretching vertically from a defined limit above the earth
• Airspace where IFR flights receive air traffic control services is designated as control areas or control zones
• Portions of controlled airspace where VFR flights also receive air traffic control are designated as Classes B, C, or D airspace
• Airspace in India is designated as Class C or D

Integration into Flight Regions

• Control areas and control zones designated within a flight information region become part of that region

Controlled Aerodromes

• Aerodromes where air traffic control service will be provided to aerodrome traffic are designated as controlled aerodromes

Classification of Airspaces

• Class A: Only IFR flights are allowed; all flights get air traffic control and they are separated from each other
• Class B: Both IFR and VFR flights are allowed; receiving air traffic control and separation
• Class C: Both IFR and VFR flights are permitted. All flights receive air traffic control service; IFR traffic avoids with other IFR and VFR traffic. VFR traffic avoids IFR flights but receive traffic information about other VFR flights.
• Class D: IFR and VFR flights are permitted; all flights receive air traffic control service, IFR traffic avoids other IFR and special VFR flights, receiving info on VFR traffic. VFR traffic gets information on all other flights. Terminal areas, control areas, control zones and aerodrome traffic zones are classified as Class D.
• Class E: IFR and VFR are permitted; with air traffic control and separation for IFR traffic, receiving traffic info on VFR flights. VFR flights receive traffic information in respect of all other flights, as practical. Class E is not used for control zones but covers ATS routes outside certain areas, where air traffic control is provided.
• Class F: IFR and VFR flights permitted; with advisory service for IFR flights, and information service if asked. Airspaces in ATS route segments outside terminal areas, control areas, and control zones where air traffic advisory service is provided.
• Class G: IFR and VFR flights are permitted and receive flight information service, if requested. Airspaces unlike Class D, E, and F airspaces.
• States chooses Classes appropriate to their needs
• ATS airspaces are aligned vertically allow flights at the common level that comply with the least restricted airspace regulations
• Hence Class B airspace is less strict than Class A, and Class C is less restricted than Class B.

Airspace Classes Summarized

• Class A permits IFR flights only and mandates ATC clearance, continuous two-way radio communication, and provides separation for all aircraft
• Class B permits IFR and VFR flights, requires ATC clearance, continuous two-way radio communication, and offers separation for all aircraft
• Class C permits IFR and VFR flights and needs ATC clearance. Continuous two-way radio is required. Separation for IFR flights. VFR aircraft receive traffic information
• Class D permits IFR and VFR flights. ATC clearance is needed with continuous two-way radio, also traffic information provided
• Class E permits IFR and VFR flights. No ATC clearance needed, but separation is provided and traffic information passed
• Class F permits IFR and VFR flights, also advisory service available and flight information provided and no ATC Clearance needed.
• Class G permits IFR and VFR flights. No ATC clearance needed with limited service available

Classification in India

• Class C: Control areas (CTA)
• Class D: Airspace in CTAs, terminal areas (TMAs), control zones (CTRs) and aerodrome traffic zones (ATZ)s
• Class E: Routes outside CTAs / TMAs / CTRs / ATZs except under class F
• Class F: Routes outside CTAs / TMAs / CTRs / ATZs except in AIP India
• Class G: Others that are those not in class D, E and F

Designation, Protected Space and Equipement

• ATS routes have protected airspace and safe spacing
• Complexity/traffic warrants routes for low-level traffic and helicopters, accounting for navigation and equipment
• ATS routes designs incorporate designators to unambiguously identify ATS routes; relate routes to vertical airspace structure and show required navigation accuracy; routes indicate primarily or exclusively used by types of aircraft. Equipement for designation system includes identify ATS routes simply; avoids redundancy; usable by airborne systems; permits brevity in operations and potential for future changes.

Route Designation: Identifiers and Applications

• ATS route designs include basic designator and additional identifiers of one prefix as K/U/S; and one other letter F/G. Characters shall not exceed six characters and that is to be maxed at five.
• The basic designator requires one letter and a number from 1 to 999
• Letters are made from A, B, G, R and L, M, N, P depending where area navigation applies. Else routes do not form the regional networks
• Applicable one supplementary letter is a prefix in adherence to:
• K to helicopters, especially to low altitude
• U to portion of airspace for upper altitude
• S to indicate exclusively supersonic use

Designation Supplementary Markings

• As prescribed by ATS authority or regional navigation agreements, a supplementary letter can be put after the ATS route to determine service type is in accordance to:
• Advisory service with F
• Flight information service with G
• Limited boards display to aircraft letters F or G
• Route implementation is an aeronautical chart and aligns Annex 4 and 15 implementations. It's also an advisory or flight information routes.

Use of Designated Identifiers

• The same designator is assigned to a trunk route throughout its length
• For automated ATS, data processing, and computerized airborne navigation equipment, the same designator is of particular importance
• Segments of 2 or more trunk routes must also assign designators for these routes. Unless there service difficulties one designator must be designed
• Coordination with ICAO must occur for States' basic designators

In Voice Communications

• Print with not less than two/more than six characters.
• Speak by ICAO's spelling alphabet.
• Prefixes using K, U, or S use the spoken voice as KOPTER, UPPER, SUPERSONIC.

Use Visual Aids from the Tower

• Visuals in flight are determined runway use, position, and the need for overflight
• Phraseology for Go Around or When Able is used in case of Missed Approach

Airspace Restrictions/Reservations

• Restrictions occur with civil aviation not compatible from rocket to protection installations
• Airspace restrictions come in danger, restriction, or is a prohibited area

Restriction Implementation

• A danger area shows least restiction; a prohibited is the most
• Note that it only applies where a specific zone is located
• In no soveregnity, the responsible can establish certain activity restrictions

Restricted Areas

• The related activity can no longer be subjected to the "discretion of pilots." Times are thus closely accounted for

Prohibited Areas

• Should be subject to stringnet requirements where the use of that airspace is completely forbidden. These areas protect critical infrastructure of national security

Airspaces Defined

• A prohibited area is an Indian land or territorial water where aircraft are not permitter which the area is identifed by a two letter FIR code then by number
• A restricted area is an Indian land or territorial water where aircraft are not permitted which the area is identifed by a two letter FIR, code then by number
• A danger area is a defined airspace under which activity is specified time and will note all aircraft via NOTAM to caution aircraft operators

Area Designators Defined

• These are used for all areas which are also unduplicated

ATS Regarding Temporary Airspace

• NOTAM broadcasts provide time, location, and elevation information on the military's routes within the Indian FIR
• Civilian aircraft won't be able to operate without the lateral and vertical restraints given

Special Designed Airspace

• To follow up on procedure from normal ATS has increased; hence ADC identification was placed with restrictions

ADIZ Details

• ADIZ's are under air-defense, and ADIZ establishment has increased with these clearances and have specific compass directions. Aircraft with prior flight data are allowed. The avoidance from wasted air activity is followed by tactical investigations and foreign aircrafts can't objected under ADC.
• Aircraft with no ADC or failing restriction is liable to procedure and all ATC flights require the ADC Number.

ADC Procedures

• Local flights around the 5NM vicinity and below will need clearance except for 100AFG limits and Air Traffic Control situations
• Aircraft with civil of military presence where ATC is private will get ADC access from other units and advisory to unit pilots
• There will be validity to the entirety of one route, regardless of the points of exit/entry. Flights will all need air defence entering 10 minute for space concerns. To which this ADC is under pilot and aircraft operator and should go on between 3-15 minutes, but obtain fresh DC where departing outside
• ATC will need to handle all delay and communicate where airborne before

Standard Protocol

• If one is with a club returning same day he receives one, also on 30 minutes to take place where departed and not leave again