I4402

=Airspace=

A lot of instructors like to bring in different sectionals and Low Level charts and play stump the chump, grab the San Diego and Los Angeles Terminal Area Charts (for the VFR flyways, corridors and transition routes) as well as the Denver Sectional (for those crazy enroute domestics) and study up!

Two categories:
 * Regulatory (A, B, C, D, E, Restricted, Prohibited)

Within those two are the four types:
 * Nonregulatory (MOAs, Warning areas, alert areas, controlled firing areas.)

Controlled
AIM 3-2-1 Also known as A-E.

Uncontrolled
AIM 3-3-3 aka "G"

Special use
AIM 3-4-1
 * Special use can be remembered as W CAMPR
 * Warning area: An airspace extending from 3NM outward from the coast that contains hazardous activity to nonparticipating aircraft. Contact FASFAC (in the back of the IFR Enroute Supplement) for information on entering warning areas (i.e. Contact "SEALORD" for entering warning areas off NAS JAX). **Purpose is to warn non participating aircraft.
 * Controlled Firing Areas: Contain activities which could be hazardous to nonparticipating aircraft (not on charts, they stop when we enter)
 * Alert Areas: Depicted to inform nonparticipating aircraft of areas containing high volumes of pilot training or unusual aerial activity.
 * MOA: separate military training activities from IFR traffic.
 * Prohibited Area: Established for security or other reasons associated with national welfare.
 * Restricted Area: Subject to restrictions. Unusual often invisible hazards. ATC will allow you through if not active.

Other
AIM 3-5-1
 * Other can be remembered as MAN TVTP
 * Military Training Routes: low altitude, high-speed military operations to be flown mostly under IFR. Routes at 1500AGL and below usually VFR.  Generally established below 10000MSL for speeds > 250KTS.  2 types… IR and VR. (VR needs 5 miles of visibility and 3000AGL ceiling.  4 digits means all under 1500AGL, 3 digits means at least one segment is above 1500AGL, 2 digits is just a shortened 3 digit route with a leading 0, Eg IR031 becomes IR31).  Non-regulatory, so non-participating aircraft can happily putter along them all day long.  As this is obviously a poor plan, contacting a FSS within 100nm of the route is STRONGLY advised to ascertain the activity of the route.
 * Airport Advisory/Information Services (provide advisories) Mention/look up "Final Guard."
 * LAA (10 SM with no control tower, but an FSS)
 * RAA (10 SM with no control tower high GA (General Aviation) activity)
 * RAIS (short term special events like small to medium flyins.) Must be coordinated between the Airport Authority and the local FSS at least 60 days in advance.
 * National Security Areas: Locations where there is a requirement for increased security and safety of ground facilities. Pilots are requested to avoid voluntarily but if the case may be, it could become temporarily prohibited.
 * TRSA (Terminal Radar Service Area): Voluntary participation for civilians (mando for us.....or is it? **I have not found it in OPNAV so before you say it's mando, find the reference**), primary airports in the TRSA are D.  TRSA's were made back in the day as part of the "Terminal Radar Program" and not controlled from a regulatory standpoint.  When airports began to convert to the Airport Radar Service Area (ARSA) standards, some TRSA's were never upgraded to meet the stringent criteria. They do not fall under Part-71 and continue provide additional radar services for participating pilots.  Supposedly the class D airports don't convert to a class C and drop the TRSA because of the equipment requirements.  Class C airports need radar while Class D airports just need a fat guy with a radio on a tree stand (or 'tower' if you will).  A TRSA is non-regulatory (and in fact non-Part 71) and imposes no restrictions on pilots operating within it; ATC simply may be able to provide you with useful radar services (like the occasional traffic call).
 * VFR Routes:
 * Flyways: general flight path not defined as a specific course, for use by pilots in planning flights into, out of, through or near complex terminal airspace to avoid B airspace.  Found on the back of most TACs.
 * Corridors: airspace through B with defined vertical and lateral boundaries.  A hole through B.  Quite uncommon and largely depreciated due to the complexity and hassle of creating them.
 * Transition routes: Routes through B that require ATC assigned altitude and clearance.  See the Los Angeles TAC for a bunch of examples (all those magenta arrows).
 * It is important to understand the differences between the 3 types of VFR routes. Some types have common frequencies (similar to a CTAF of sorts) associated with them (Corridors often use 122.75 for pilot-to-pilot comms), some require clearance prior to entering (Transition Routes), and some are like the wild west, no rules (Flyways)!
 * Temporary Flight Restrictions: Regulatory in nature.  Non-participating aircraft are prohibited from entering (ATC may clear you through with cause, for instance, if the TFR is blocking the only viable instrument approach to your airport).  Utilized for 6 causes: To prevent aircraft from exacerbating a hazard on the ground, for disaster relief, to prevent unsafe congestion over an area of public interest (sporting event), for declared national disasters in Hawaii, to protect VIPs (PotUS, etc), and for Space Operations.
 * Parachute Jump Aircraft Operations: altitudes are MSL. Non-regulatory, just see-and-avoid.  Jump aircraft are to make radio calls before, during, and after the jump to enhance everyone's SA.

A through G designations
Regarding weather for VFR ops, you can either memorize it for each airspace or just rember the exceptions to the standard 3SM 5/1/2:
 * B (and G <1,200AGL during day) are clear of clouds
 * E (and G >1,200AGL) above 10,000MSL are 5,1,1,1
 * G during the day is 1SM vis (excl the previous line)

More info
Class B: Around class B airspace there is a Mode C veil it contains the airspace within 30NM of most B airports from surface to 10000 feet. and you must have a Mode C transponder to enter (unless certified a/c without it).

Class G: See the exception for Class G cloud clearances in the FAR 91.155(b). It simply says that helos can remain clear of clouds when below 1200AGL.

Class E There are seven types of Class E airspace SET FOOD AOPA has a decent PDF with a breakdown (and pictures) of most of the topics, including the VFR Flyways/Corridors/Transitions: AOPA Airspace PDF
 * 1. Surface area designation for an airport Configured to contain all instrument procedures.
 * 2. Extension to a surface area: Serve as extensions to Class B, C, D surface areas. Provides controlled airspace to contain instrument procedures without imposing comms requirement on VFR pilots.  Extensions to D airports will remain D airspace if all instrument approaches can be contained within 2NM extensions.  If any IAP requires a further extension, all extensions become class E.
 * 3. Transition Airspace Beginning at either 700 or 1200AGL to transition from terminal to enroute
 * 4. Federal airways: 1200AGL to 17999MSL (Domestic, Alaskan, Hawaiian)
 * 5. Offshore airspace areas: Provide controlled airspace beyond 12 miles where there is a requirement to provide IFR en route ATC services. See the Santa Catalina region off Los Angeles for an example.
 * 6. Other: Unless otherwise noted, begins at 14500MSL to 17999MSL within 12 miles from coast of 48 states, DC, and Alaska. Airspace above FL600 Excluding below 1500AGL unless otherwise noted.
 * 7. Domestic en route areas: Provide controlled airspace in those areas where there is a requirement to provide IFR en route ATC services but the airway system is inadequate (usually due to signal obstructions/MEA requirements).
 * Domestic en route areas are a weird beast, look NW of Las Vegas for examples. They are NOT specifically charted on IFR sectionals, but easily identified on VFR charts; look for the 8NM wide Class E protected areas between NAVAIDS that do not have charted Victor Airways.  For detailed information, check out FAA Order 7400.9U here: http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/7400.9.pdf and bring no-doze...

=GCA lost comm=
 * 1 minute while being vectored,
 * 15 seconds while on ASR final
 * 5 seconds while on PAR final.


 * 1. Attempt contact on secondary freq, previously assigned freq, tower, or guard.
 * 2. If unable to re-establish comms and unable to maintain VMC, proceed with a published approach procedure or previously coordinated instructions. Squawk 7600.
 * 3. Maintain last assigned altitude or MSA until established on segment of published approach.

Refer to RWOP for NDZ specific procedures. (VFR course-rules, otherwise direct IVORY followed by the ILS Y)

=Airport Approach/Runway Lighting=

Runway edge lights are used to outline the edges of runways during periods of darkness or restricted visibility conditions. These light systems are classified according to the intensity or brightness they are capable of producing: they are the High Intensity Runway Lights (HIRL), Medium Intensity Runway Lights (MIRL), and the Low Intensity Runway Lights (LIRL). The HIRL and MIRL systems have variable intensity controls, whereas the LIRLs normally have one intensity setting.




 * The runway edge lights are white, except on instrument runways yellow replaces white on the last 2,000 feet or half the runway length, whichever is less, to form a caution zone for landings.
 * The lights marking the ends of the runway emit red light toward the runway to indicate the end of runway to a departing aircraft and emit green outward from the runway end to indicate the threshold to landing aircraft.

Runway Centerline Lighting System (RCLS): Runway centerline lights are installed on some precision approach runways to facilitate landing under adverse visibility conditions. They are located along the runway centerline and are spaced at 50-foot intervals. When viewed from the landing threshold, the runway centerline lights are white until the last 3,000 feet of the runway. The white lights begin to alternate with red for the next 2,000 feet, and for the last 1,000 feet of the runway, all centerline lights are red

VASI (Visual Approach Slope Indicator):
 * Visible from 3-5 miles during day, up to 20 miles at night.
 * Provides safe obstruction clearance within plus or minus 10 ° of extended runway
 * Most installations consist of 2 bars, near and far, providing 3 degree glide path.
 * Red over white: on glide path.

PAPI (Precision Approach Path Indicator):
 * Similar to the VASI but are installed In a single row.
 * Red lights coming in from the right to tell how high above or how low the approach is.

No one really expects you to memorize all the different types of lighting systems in use, but do know that you can find them all (with graphics) in the FIH, section B (currently starting on B-31)

=Inoperative components or visual aids table= Landing minimums published on instrument approach procedures charts are based upon full operation of all components and visual aids associated with the particular instrument approach being used. Higher mins are required with inoperative components or visual aids as indicated on the charts in the front section of the approach plates.

=Helicopter point-in-space approach=
 * PinS nonprecision approaches are normally developed for heliports where the MAP is located more than 2 SM from the landing site, or the path from the MAP to the landing site is populated with obstructions which require avoidance actions or requires turns greater than 30 degrees.
 * A helicopter PinS approach can be developed from conventional NAVAIDs or GPS.
 * These procedures involve a visual segment between the MAP and the landing area, during which the pilot must be able to maintain proper VFR weather minimums for the given airspace.

See AIM 10-1-3.2

=NOTAMS (D, FDC, Pointer, Military)= * Class I – Distribution by means of telecommunications. * Class II – Distribution by the Postal Service [Class Definitions]. By means other than telecommunications (GP Terms 2-31). * DOD (FLIPs) and (NOTAMs). OPNAV 3710.7T

1.2.4 The procedures, special notices, and instructions contained in the FLIPs and NOTAMs are mandatory for all pilots flying naval aircraft.

4.4.4.7 NOTAM and weather briefing shall be obtained at point of origin for the entire route of flight.

NOTICE TO AIRMEN (NOTAM) SYSTEM (AIM 5-1-3) a. Time‐critical aeronautical information which is  of either a temporary nature or not sufficiently known in advance to permit publication on aeronautical charts or in other operational publications receives immediate dissemination via the National NOTAM System.


 * NOTE-1. NOTAM information is that aeronautical information that could affect a pilot's decision to make a flight. It includes such information as airport or aerodrome primary runway closures, taxiways, ramps, obstructions, communications, airspace, changes in the status of navigational aids, ILSs, radar service availability, and other information essential to planned en route, terminal, or landing operations.


 * NOTE-2. NOTAM information is transmitted using standard contractions to reduce transmission time. See TBL 5-1-1 for a listing of the most commonly used contractions. For a complete listing, see FAA Order JO 7340.2, Contractions.

b. NOTAM information is classified into four categories. These are NOTAM (D) or distant, Flight Data Center (FDC) NOTAMs, Pointer NOTAMs, and Military NOTAMs.


 * 1. NOTAM (D) information is disseminated for all navigational facilities that are part of the National Airspace System (NAS), all public use airports, seaplane bases, and heliports listed in the Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD). The complete file of all NOTAM (D) information is maintained in a computer database at the Weather Message Switching Center (WMSC), located in Atlanta, Georgia. This category of information is distributed automatically via Service A telecommunications system. Air traffic facilities, primarily FSSs, with Service A capability have access to the entire WMSC database of NOTAMs. These NOTAMs remain available via Service A for the duration of their validity or until published. Once published, the NOTAM data is deleted from the system. NOTAM (D) information includes such data as taxiway closures, personnel and equipment near or crossing runways, and airport lighting aids that do not affect instrument approach criteria, such as VASI.


 * 2. FDC NOTAMs
 * (a) On those occasions when it becomes necessary to disseminate information which is regulatory in nature, the National Flight Data Center (NFDC), in Washington, DC, will issue an FDC NOTAM. FDC NOTAMs contain such things as amendments to published IAPs and other current aeronautical charts. They are also used to advertise temporary flight restrictions caused by such things as natural disasters or large‐scale public events that may generate a congestion of air traffic over a site.
 * (b) FDC NOTAMs are transmitted via Service A only once and are kept on file at the FSS until published or canceled. FSSs are responsible for maintaining a file of current, unpublished FDC NOTAMs concerning conditions within 400 miles of their facilities. FDC information concerning conditions that are more than 400 miles from the FSS, or that is already published, is given to a pilot only on request.
 * NOTE 1. DUATS vendors will provide FDC NOTAMs only upon site‐specific requests using a location identifier.
 * NOTE 2. NOTAM data may not always be current due to the changeable nature of national airspace system components, delays inherent in processing information, and occasional temporary outages of the U.S. NOTAM system. While en route, pilots should contact FSSs and obtain updated information for their route of flight and destination.


 * 3. Pointer NOTAMs. NOTAMs issued by a flight service station to highlight or point out another NOTAM, such as an FDC or NOTAM (D) NOTAM. This type of NOTAM will assist users in cross-referencing important information that may not be found under an airport or NAVAID identifier. Keywords in pointer NOTAMs must match the keywords in the NOTAM that is being pointed out. The keyword in pointer NOTAMs related to Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) must be AIRSPACE.


 * 4. Military NOTAMs. NOTAMs pertaining to U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine, and Navy navigational aids/airports that are part of the NAS.

c. An integral part of the NOTAM System is the Notices to Airmen Publication (NTAP) published every four weeks. Data is included in this publication to reduce congestion on the telecommunications circuits and, therefore, is not available via Service A. Once published, the information is not provided during pilot weather briefings unless specifically requested by the pilot. This publication contains two sections.
 * 1. The first section consists of notices that meet the criteria for NOTAM (D) and are expected to remain in effect for an extended period and FDC NOTAMs that are current at the time of publication. Occasionally, unique information is included in this section when it will contribute to flight safety.
 * 2. The second section contains special notices that are either too long or concern a wide or unspecified geographic area and are not suitable for inclusion in the first section. The content of these notices vary widely and there are no specific criteria for their inclusion, other than their enhancement of flight safety.
 * 3. The number of the last FDC NOTAM included in the publication is noted on the first page to aid the user in updating the listing with any FDC NOTAMs which may have been issued between the cut‐off date and the date the publication is received. All information contained will be carried until the information expires, is canceled, or in the case of permanent conditions, is published in other publications, such as the A/FD.
 * 4. All new notices entered, excluding FDC NOTAMs, will be published only if the information is expected to remain in effect for at least 7 days after the effective date of the publication.

FDC/NOTAM Codes: Fig 5-1-1 of AIM or Section F of FIH

NOTAM Website with good summary of I,II, D, FDC, Pointer, Military and NOTAM publications: https://www.afss.com/index.cfm?regid=%23.%40(%23%0A&fwnavid=%23.P(.%0A&navMode=(%3FT%3D:(Y%3EJ;1\%20%0A (official Lockheed Martin FSS website)

=Notam Codes= See the FIH for NOTAM translation.