Prohibited airspace refers to an area of airspace within which flight of aircraft is not allowed, usually due to security concerns. It is one of many types of special use airspace designations and is depicted on aeronautical charts with the letter "P" followed by a serial number. It differs from restricted airspace in that entry is typically forbidden at all times from all aircraft and is not subject to clearance from ATC or the airspace's controlling body. According to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration : "Prohibited areas contain airspace of defined dimensions identified by an area on the surface of the earth within which the flight of aircraft is prohibited. Such areas are established for security or other reasons associated with the national welfare. These areas are published in the Federal Register and are depicted on aeronautical charts." , showing the prohibited/restricted airspace surrounding Camp David Some prohibited airspace may be supplemented via NOTAMs. For example, Prohibited Area 40 and Restricted Area 4009 often have additional restricted airspace added via a NOTAM when the President of the United States visits Camp David in Maryland, while normally the airspace outside of P-40 and R4009 is not prohibited/restricted. Violating prohibited airspace established for national security purposes may result in military interception and/or the possibility of an attack upon the violating aircraft. Aircraft violating or about to violate prohibited airspace are often warned beforehand on 121.5 MHz, the emergency frequency for aircraft.
List of prohibited airspaces
Australia
Australia currently has no prohibited airspaces. Previously, The Pine Gap Joint Defence Facility near Alice Springs was designated as a permanent no-fly zone. This airspace has since been changed to a restricted area.
Unscheduled foreign aircraft are prohibited from entering or encroaching Cuban airspace including disputed international water zones except when permission has been explicitly given by the Cuban Government. The Cuban military has been known to shoot down and destroy unauthorised aircraft without warning including a 1996 incident in which two U.S.-registered aircraft were shot down and destroyed by Cuban Air Force MiGs.
Finland
All traffic is prohibited above Finland's two nuclear power plant sites in Loviisa and Olkiluoto. Both zones have a radius of and an upper limit of above mean sea level. A third no-fly zone was introduced above the oil refinery site in Kilpilahti on November 13, 2014.
France
All traffic is prohibited above Paris. Exceptions include military aircraft and civil aeroplanes flying no lower than. Authorisations are either given by the Ministry of Defence, for military aircraft, or by the Paris Police Prefecture and the Directorate General for Civil Aviation for civil ones. Moreover, the flying of helicopters within the limits of Paris is also forbidden. Special authorisation can be granted by the Prefecture of Police for helicopters undertaking precise missions such as police air-surveillance, air ambulances but also transport of high-profile personalities.
Although not within Paris boundaries, the business district of La Défense has been placed under prohibited airspace in response to 9/11.
According to Air Navigation Regulation 1, airspace over the territory and territorial waters of Sri Lanka are declared an air defence identification zone with prohibited areas and restricted areas within it. No aircraft may operate in prohibited or restricted areas without valid air defence clearance from the Sri Lanka Air Force.
Prohibited areas
Colombo City centering the Parliament-Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte
Restricted areas
Sri Lanka Air Force bases SLAF Anuradhapura, SLAF Minneriya, SLAF Vavuniya, SLAF Palaly and SLAF Sigiriya
The FAA issues Temporary Flight Restrictions in the form of a Notice to Airmen which are effective for the duration of an event, typically a few days or weeks. TFRs are issued for VIP movement such as the president's travels outside Washington, D.C., surface-based hazards to flight such as toxic gas spills or volcanic eruptions, air-shows, military security, and special events including political ones like national party conventions. TFRs have also been issued to ensure a safe environment for firefighting operations in the case of wildfires and for other reasons as necessary. A TFR was quickly issued around the crash site of Cory Lidle's airplane in New York City. Later, a broader TFR was issued to require pilots traveling over the East River to obtain air traffic control clearance.
Permanent Prohibited Areas
Thurmont, Maryland, site of Presidential retreat Camp David
Washington, D.C., U.S. Capitol, White House, and Naval Observatory ; see [|other restrictions] for information about all Active Prohibited Areas in the Washington D.C./Baltimore Flight Restricted Zone.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota
Temporary restrictions over Disney theme parks were made permanent with language added to a 2003 federal spending bill. Additionally, an indirect TFR prohibits flight below above ground level and within a radius of stadiums with seating capacity of 30,000 or more, in which an MLB, NFL, NCAA Division I football, a major motor speedway event, or a WrestleMania is taking place, from one hour before to one hour after the event. TFAs over public and corporate venues have been controversial. Groups have questioned whether these last TFRs served a public need, or the needs of politically connected venue operators.
Other restrictions
In addition to areas off limits to civil aviation, a variety of other airspace restrictions exists in the United States. Notable ones include the Flight Restriction Zone encompassing all airspace up to within approximately of Ronald Reagan National Airport around Washington, D.C. Flights within this airspace, while not entirely prohibited, are highly restricted. All pilots flying within the FRZ are required to undergo a background check and fingerprinting. An additional "Special Flight Rules Area" area encompassing most of the Baltimore-Washington D.C. metropolitan area requires the filing of a flight plan and communication with air traffic control.
