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CONTROLLED AIRSPACE
Class A Airspace; Altitude: 18,000 ft MSL up to and including FL600. FL600 (Flight Level-600 add 2 zeros) = 60,000 feet MSL. Class A is used for high-altitude air traffic; basically where commercial jets and other large aircraft fly on long-distance routes. It's not intended for drones.
Class B Airspace; surrounds the nation’s busiest airports (like LAX, ATL, JFK). Shape: an “upside-down wedding cake” with multiple layers, starting at the surface near the airport and stepping up as you move outward. Altitude: generally from the surface up to 10,000 ft MSL. Part 107 drones: You must get FAA/LAANC authorization before flying in Class B.
👉 Exam tip: Class B = Solid blue rings, 3-5 Layers or Shelves.
Class C Airspace; surrounds busy airports with a control tower and radar approach control but not as congested as Class B. Two main layers and an inner 5 NM radius cylinder. Altitude: (surface up to 4,000 ft MSL) and an outer 10 NM radius. The upper shelf is from 1,200 ft MSL up to 4,000 ft MSL).
👉 Exam tip: Class C = Moderately busy airports, two solid magenta rings, Authorization required.
Class D Airspace; surrounds smaller towered airports with less traffic than Class B or C. Generally a cylinder shape about 4 NM radius, Altitude: surface up to 2,500 ft MSL above the airport.
Manned aircraft: Must establish two-way radio communication with ATC before entering.
👉 Exam tip: Class D = Small towered airport, dashed-blue lines simple cylinder, Authorization required.
Class E Airspace; is controlled airspace that fills the gaps and spaces of airspace between Classes A–D.
Altitude: "Shaded Magenta" and starts at 700 ft AGL or 1,200 ft AGL if there is no "Shaded Magenta." Sometimes Class starts at the surface of or near airports (Dashed Magenta Lines) and may extend up to 18,000 ft MSL
Used for: General controlled flight operations, especially where there isn’t a towered airport nearby.
Part 107 drones: Authorization is required only if Class E begins at the surface. If it starts at 700 or 1,200 ft AGL, no authorization is you are operating below the floor of Class E airspace.
👉 Exam tip: Class E = controlled airspace, dashed-magenta lines, Authorization required only for Class E beginning at the surface.
UNCONTROLLED AIRSPACE - Class "G"
Class G Airspace; is uncontrolled airspace, meaning there is no ATC authorization is required.
Extends from the surface up to the base of Class E (usually 700 or 1,200 ft AGL, sometimes higher in remote areas).
Used for: Low-altitude general aviation, training, rural flight operations, and drone flyers.
Part 107: No authorization required;
👉 Quick memory tip: Class G = the “empty space” at the bottom of the chart where there are no colored boundaries.
PROHIBITED areas - AIRSPACE
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. Examples are: The White House – Washington, D.C., the The U.S. Capitol – Washington, D.C., Kennedy Space Center – Florida, NASA and Area 51 in Nevada.
👉 On sectional charts, Notice Prohibited Areas also have a number assigned such as P-56 covers the White House/Capitol). You will need the number of the Prohibited Area in order to get more detailed information on it.
warning areas
Warning Areas (W) are special use airspace that begin 3 nautical miles off the U.S. coast and extend outward over international waters. They are established to warn pilots of activities that may be hazardous to nonparticipating aircraft, such as military training, missile launches, or gunnery exercises. Unlike Restricted Areas, authorization is not required to enter, but operations should be conducted with extreme caution.
Notice the letter "W" as "W-50B", "W-50 C", indicating the warning area. The blue hash marks pointing to the area.
👉 Part 107 tip: Warning Areas are mostly a concern for manned aviation, but you should still know the definition for the exam.
Link to FAA "Special Use Airspace (SUA) https://sua.faa.gov/sua/siteFrame.app
restricted areas
Restricted Areas (R) are portions of airspace where flight is limited due to hazardous activities such as artillery fire, missile testing, or aerial gunnery. Unlike Prohibited Areas, flight is not always banned, but authorization from the controlling agency is required before entry. Marked on sectional charts with “R” followed by numbers (e.g., R-2515 near Edwards AFB, CA). They often surround military bases or testing ranges. Hazards are typically invisible to pilots (missiles, live fire, etc.).
👉 Part 107 exam tip: Notice the information box on the sectional chart with contact phone number to call regarding the statue of the Restricted Area. (R-5402) and (R-5403)
alert areas
Alert Areas (A) are designated airspace where unusual or high-volume aerial activity occurs, such as pilot training or parachute jumps. Shown on sectional charts with a hashed magenta boundary and labeled “A” plus a number (e.g., A-632C).
No FAA authorization is required to enter.
Pilots (including Part 107 remote pilots) should exercise caution and be alert for other aircraft.
👉 Exam tip: Alert Areas = safe to fly legally, but stay aware of potential hazards.
temporary flight restrictions (TFR)
A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is a short-term restriction issued by the FAA to protect persons or property in the air or on the ground during special events or hazardous conditions (like Wildfires, VIP movements, disasters, or large public gatherings, Presidential visits, or other public figures).
TFRs temporarily prohibit or limit flight in specific airspace.
They are published by NOTAM and can cover small or large areas.
Drone pilots must always check for TFRs before flight, since flying into an active TFR without authorization is illegal.
Violating a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) with a drone, the penalties can be significant:
- Civil penalties (FAA): Up to $32,666 per violation, per day (amount adjusted periodically for inflation).
- Certificate action: Suspension or revocation of your Remote Pilot Certificate.
- Criminal penalties: If the violation is intentional or endangers safety/national security, fines can reach $250,000 and imprisonment up to 3 years under federal law (49 U.S.C. § 46307).
👉 Think of TFRs as “pop-up no-fly zones” you need to check before every mission.
controlled firing areas
A Controlled Firing Area (CFA) is a type of Special Use Airspace where activities hazardous to aircraft (like artillery firing, rockets, or ordnance testing) are conducted.
👉 The key difference from Restricted Areas or MOAs:
- In a CFA, activities are immediately suspended when an aircraft is detected approaching the area.
- Because of this, CFAs are not charted on sectional charts; pilots and drone operators don’t need to avoid them or get authorization.
So, unlike Restricted Areas or MOAs, you won’t see CFAs on charts because the safety measures are built into their operations.
MILITARY OPERATIONS AIRSPACE (MOA)
Military Operations Areas (MOAs) are special use airspace set aside for military training, such as aerobatics, formation flying, and combat maneuvers.
Depicted on sectional charts with magenta-hatched boundaries and labeled “MOA.”
IFR traffic may be rerouted by ATC when the MOA is active.
VFR traffic (including drones under Part 107) may enter without permission, but pilots should use extreme caution because military aircraft may be operating at high speeds and unusual altitudes. Hours of activity and controlling agency contact info are listed on charts.
👉 Part 107 exam tip: You can find information about operating within an MOA on the Sectional Chart?(Refer to Figure 26, Area 1)
military training routes (MTR)
Military Training Routes (MTRs) are routes used by military aircraft for high-speed, low-altitude training.
Depicted on sectional charts as gray lines labeled with “IR” (IFR) or “VR” (VFR) followed by numbers 👉(e.g., IR1206, VR1051).
Altitude & speed: Often below 10,000 ft MSL and flown at speeds over 250 knots.
Number format:
4 digits = route at or below 1,500 ft AGL.
3 digits = route may be above 1,500 ft AGL.
Part 107 drones: You can legally fly near MTRs, but use extreme caution, because fast, low-flying jets may be hard to see or hear in time.
👉 Exam tip: MTRs aren’t special use airspace like MOAs, but the FAA wants you to know they exist and pose a collision risk to drones.
victor airways
Victor Airways (Light-Blue Lines with V#) are low-altitude, controlled flight paths used by manned aircraft for navigation under VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) navigation systems.
Altitude: Generally 1,200 ft AGL up to 18,000 ft MSL (Class "E" airspace).
Width: Usually 8 NM wide (4 NM on each side of the centerline).
Depicted on sectional charts as thin blue lines connecting VORs, labeled with a “V” and a number (e.g., V157, V70, v185).
Part 107 drones: You can operate nearby, but remember that Victor Airways are controlled airspace, so authorization is required if flying inside Class E starting at the surface, though most Victor Airways are above drone altitude limits.
Exam tip: Victor Airways = “highways for manned aircraft,” mostly irrelevant for drones flying below 400 ft, but you should know the symbol and basic concept.
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