Cruising the flight levels, you’re above any of those pesky MOAs. Except some of them have a high-altitude clone that you won’t find on any chart: Behold the ATCAA.
The MOAs Attic
The light jet revolution wasnt televised because it never happened. At least not yet. There has been a quiet proliferation of small kerosene burners on the ramps and in the flight levels, however, and that means more pilots are experiencing the pleasures and pitfalls of life in Class A airspace.
Key Takeaways:
- ATCAAs (ATC Assigned Airspace) are high-altitude "stealth airspaces" not depicted on charts, often found above MOAs and extending beyond 18,000 feet.
- They are assigned by ATC to segregate various military training activities, such as air combat maneuvers and refueling, from other IFR air traffic.
- Pilots in Class A airspace may be vectored around active ATCAAs due to challenges in separation, as military aircraft within them might not be on ATC frequencies, squawking, or using standard altimeter settings.
- Although not charted, ATCAAs can be viewed on the FAA's special use airspace website (sua.faa.gov) by enabling them in the map layers, helping pilots anticipate and potentially plan around them.
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