Airspace

Airspace means the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a particular country on top of its territory and territorial waters or, more generally, any specific portion of the atmosphere.

Related Topics:
Territory - Territorial waters

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Aviators divide airspace into three basic types:

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• Uncontrolled airspace is airspace in which air traffic control does not exert any authority. It exists close to the ground or in mountainous terrain where safe IFR flight and radar coverage are impossible.
• Controlled airspace exists almost every place else. Air traffic control is capable of directing aircraft in this airspace (though does not necessarily do so).
• Special use airspace includes things like areas where flight is prohibited for national security reasons. One Prohibited Airspace includes the area in the The Mall which contains the White House and the US Capitol. Another includes the area over Hollywood, California and surrounding suburbs due to the high number of notable people living there, and another is over Manhattan, New York.

See also: Airspace classes

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