Post by PIT on Jan 23, 2016 3:44:47 GMT
When I open Google Earth, it looks very different from what you would see when you open yours, at least when viewing the US. Under this chaotic madness of colorful 3D polygon boxes and corridors, there is the practical and strategic order by which I roam the countrysides. And in this image, I have the VR, IR and helicopter routes, as well as the MTR's clicked off.
In this file I've constructed a complete, detailed and comprhensive collection of all "special use" airspace covering the United States, using simple 3D polygons. Included are all restricted airspace, military operations areas, prohibited airspace and alert areas current as of January 2016. Each and every specific polygon includes as much information as possible such as days and hours of operation, altitude exclusions, responsible ATC controllers and the military unit(s) who use the airspace in their day-to-day exercise and training operations. Also included are the restricted and prohibited flight areas that have nothing to with military or civilian flight operations, such as those over satelite communication, nuclear and nationally protected facilities.
NOTES :
-In all polygons that utilize two or more named airspace zones that occupy the same area, the dominant altitude is recognized in the height of the polygon. Lower altitude restrictions for the other zone(s) can be found in the accompanying notes. But then again, as we're viewing GE on a 2D plane, specific altitudes are pretty much irrelevant. I've included the info regardless.
-I've assigned an arbitrary value of FL800 for all unlimited altitude SUA's. That's plenty high enough.
-Unlike my previous airspace posts, I'm backing off of any garauntees of stellar accuracy. As I've taken some liberties with many (okay, most) of the zones in an effort to "clean up the clutter" and streamline the areas, they are all as close to posted GPS cords as possible. To quote one of my least favorite cliches, "It's good enough for gub'ment work". In other words, that'll do, donkey. That'll do.
-I have excluded all airspace zones outside of the continental US and Hawaii, such as Puerto Rico and Bermuda. I've also excluded all warning areas, which are primarily over ocean waters and thus recieve no imagery anyway. So defense areas and contigious US ADIZ's are off the books as well. Another exclusion is MTR's (Military Training Routes), just because I'm too damn lazy to complete them for this post.
-If you'd like to use these zones to hunt for military aircraft out "doin' their thang", I'd strongly suggest viewing the notes on the polygon area and taking note of the GE imagery date(s) you are viewing first. Nothing worse than spending hours hunting for a U2 in an MOA without even realizing that in the imagery dates available, the MOA on that day is inactive. A simple left click on a polygon boundary will give you all the info you need.
-This post wasn't created in a day - or a month - or even a year. Most of the SUA zones I have slowly included for a few years, and only in deciding to share them with you did I buckle down and include the ones I left out and updated the rest. It's been a long and exhaustive project to lay down. This being said, I have no plans for creating further special use airspace zones outside of the US.
-DISCUSSION - Do you live within an SUA boundary? Tell us your stories of jets jettin', choppers choppin' and jumpers jumpin' around your neck of the woods. Are you an aviator who frequently exercises in these areas? There are always stories there as well.
-If needed, further information on certain SUA's, especially MOA's and alert areas, can be found by viewing the notes on the sectional chart, which can be viewed/downloaded HERE.
Enjoy.
United States Special Use Airspace.kmz (229.95 KB)
In this file I've constructed a complete, detailed and comprhensive collection of all "special use" airspace covering the United States, using simple 3D polygons. Included are all restricted airspace, military operations areas, prohibited airspace and alert areas current as of January 2016. Each and every specific polygon includes as much information as possible such as days and hours of operation, altitude exclusions, responsible ATC controllers and the military unit(s) who use the airspace in their day-to-day exercise and training operations. Also included are the restricted and prohibited flight areas that have nothing to with military or civilian flight operations, such as those over satelite communication, nuclear and nationally protected facilities.
NOTES :
-In all polygons that utilize two or more named airspace zones that occupy the same area, the dominant altitude is recognized in the height of the polygon. Lower altitude restrictions for the other zone(s) can be found in the accompanying notes. But then again, as we're viewing GE on a 2D plane, specific altitudes are pretty much irrelevant. I've included the info regardless.
-I've assigned an arbitrary value of FL800 for all unlimited altitude SUA's. That's plenty high enough.
-Unlike my previous airspace posts, I'm backing off of any garauntees of stellar accuracy. As I've taken some liberties with many (okay, most) of the zones in an effort to "clean up the clutter" and streamline the areas, they are all as close to posted GPS cords as possible. To quote one of my least favorite cliches, "It's good enough for gub'ment work". In other words, that'll do, donkey. That'll do.
-I have excluded all airspace zones outside of the continental US and Hawaii, such as Puerto Rico and Bermuda. I've also excluded all warning areas, which are primarily over ocean waters and thus recieve no imagery anyway. So defense areas and contigious US ADIZ's are off the books as well. Another exclusion is MTR's (Military Training Routes), just because I'm too damn lazy to complete them for this post.
-If you'd like to use these zones to hunt for military aircraft out "doin' their thang", I'd strongly suggest viewing the notes on the polygon area and taking note of the GE imagery date(s) you are viewing first. Nothing worse than spending hours hunting for a U2 in an MOA without even realizing that in the imagery dates available, the MOA on that day is inactive. A simple left click on a polygon boundary will give you all the info you need.
-This post wasn't created in a day - or a month - or even a year. Most of the SUA zones I have slowly included for a few years, and only in deciding to share them with you did I buckle down and include the ones I left out and updated the rest. It's been a long and exhaustive project to lay down. This being said, I have no plans for creating further special use airspace zones outside of the US.
-DISCUSSION - Do you live within an SUA boundary? Tell us your stories of jets jettin', choppers choppin' and jumpers jumpin' around your neck of the woods. Are you an aviator who frequently exercises in these areas? There are always stories there as well.
-If needed, further information on certain SUA's, especially MOA's and alert areas, can be found by viewing the notes on the sectional chart, which can be viewed/downloaded HERE.
Enjoy.
United States Special Use Airspace.kmz (229.95 KB)
