FAA Sport Pilot Airplane (SPA)Airspace and NavigationEasy
A pilot is planning a cross-country flight over the Gulf of Mexico and notices an area of airspace beginning 3 nautical miles offshore that contains activity potentially hazardous to nonparticipating aircraft. This area is depicted on the sectional chart in blue with a segmented boundary line. What type of special use airspace is this?
- AAlert Area
- BWarning Area
- CMilitary Operations Area (MOA)
- DRestricted Area
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Warning Area
A Warning Area extends from 3 nautical miles outward from the U.S. coast over international/domestic waters and may contain hazards to nonparticipating aircraft, similar to a Restricted Area but not under U.S. sovereign jurisdiction. It does not require ATC clearance, but pilots should exercise extreme caution.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Alert Areas warn of high volumes of pilot training or unusual aerial activity, not offshore hazards.
- C. MOAs are for military training but do not restrict nonparticipating VFR traffic.
- D. Restricted Areas are over U.S. land and require permission to enter when active.
Warning Area
Special use airspace over domestic or international waters, beginning 3 NM from the U.S. coast, containing activity hazardous to nonparticipating aircraft.
- Depicted in blue on sectional charts
- Not sovereign U.S. airspace so entry isn't legally restricted
- Pilots should use extreme caution due to military/hazardous activity
- Similar hazard level to Restricted Areas but located offshore
Memory trick: 'PRAWNC' — Prohibited, Restricted, Alert, Warning, National Security, Controlled Firing