View Full Version : CTR/CTA/ATZ... ?
Can somebody explain what's the point of giving additional names to pieces of controlled airspace by the ICAO (CTR/CTA/ATZ etc)? I mean, why do I have to know how called such and such volume of air when we could just have only classes of airspace (A, B, C, D, E, G) with defined characteristics just like in the U.S.
good egg
28th Oct 2019, 20:07
Different rules can apply between CTR & ATZ for given met conditions.
CTA differentiates from CTR in that the base isn’t SFC (and the top may be different too).
jmmoric
29th Oct 2019, 09:14
Besides the weather rules, where the CTR differs from TMA and CTA, special VFR etc.
The airspace name also indicates the type of airflow. In a CTA we can fly and relax, traffic is more or less flynig straight and level, in a TMA we have to be a bit more awake, cause everything goes up and down, twists and turns there.
custardpsc
29th Oct 2019, 11:22
Partly Its how the naming started, it wasn't that long ago that we didn't have airspace classes. And some of the usage is not well or fully defined by A-F and also may require additional rules beyond visibility/flight rules
The USA simply ditched all those acronyms although even there a few still do hang over.
https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/22134/what-is-a-terminal-radar-service-area-trsa-and-what-are-its-operational-requir