Clearance when ATS becomes active

[jnicholas]

Hey guys, could be a dumb question but it could be a situation i am faced with in the near future:

Obviously flying through military airspace requires a clearance when the tower is open, otherwise it is just a CTAF outside these hours. However, what is the procedure if the area becomes active when you're overhead? Do they announce it on the CTAF then you contact clearance delivery or what is the procedure?

Thx guys.

[Jabawocky]

Yep, you will get a broadcast and upon your reply a clearance or direction to the clearance delivery controller will be made.

Also pays to listen out to BNE/MEL CEN before what you consider is the CTAF area, as they announce prior to the area becoming active.

[jnicholas]

Thanks for that, so the cntr will announce it becoming active even if it is just the routine daily opening hours? and not just by NOTAM?

[Awol57]

Yes, published hours or NOTAM there will be a broadcast.

[jas24zzk]

The East Sale military boys are pretty amenable. I have been in the area when they activated without prior warning. They followed a simple plan.

1. Made a general broadcast 10 minutes prior (i wasn't on ML cen due 1 com)
2. Made contact with all traffic seeking intentions.
3. Issued clearances according to peoples intentions.
4. did not divert any existing traffic to the VFR lanes.
5. Notified new traffic that the area was becoming active, and only diverted those to the VFR lanes where it represented minimal disruption.

It was busy on the radio, but the mil controllers were professional and accomodating. It was good to see as there was a fair bit of RAA traffic, and the controllers really helped those that needed a little guidance.

So yer, not something to be scared of.

[muffman]

While I realise it's not really what you're asking, I would say as a general rule you should avoid being in a restricted area during its hours of activation when they notified by NOTAM or ERSA. Being in the airspace at its advertised time of activation is akin to flying through an active restricted area. That said, the military controllers have always been very accommodating in my experience. Obviously there's nothing you could do if an unplanned activation of the airspace occurs.

[Blockla]

Yes, published hours or NOTAM there will be a broadcast.Wouldn't want to rely on a broadcast to keep you up to speed... Most ATC units will broadcast, not all, not all on time! As the PIC you need to be aware of published and NOTAM times if you put a flight plan through a red line. You also need to be aware of the 'activity' within the restricted area, some will be "flying areas" so activation time + 30mins will normally have you clear of danger, but a "firing area" where the grunts are watching the clock tick before pulling their triggers etc will not be so advisable to play with.

[Awol57]

Sorry I meant for a CTR. Every morning and every evening I co ord with the adjacent sector that I am opening/closing at XX time and they then make a broadcast. PRD's may be a bit different.

[ollie_a]

I would say as a general rule you should avoid being in a restricted area during its hours of activation when they notified by NOTAM or ERSA.

This totally depends on the RA status. For a RA1 area it is completely incorrect and pilots may flight plan through the area no problems. For RA2 and RA3 areas it's a different story and you must stay clear. Check the status in ERSA before you make your plan!