Uncontrolled airspace

Airspace without an air traffic control service

In aviation, uncontrolled airspace is airspace in which an Air Traffic Control (ATC) service is not deemed necessary or cannot be provided for practical reasons. It is the opposite of controlled airspace. It is that portion of the airspace that has not been designated as Control Area, Control Zone, Terminal Control Area or Transition Area.[1]

According to the airspace classes set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the uncontrolled classes of airspace are class F and G.[2]

## Class F

[edit]

Class F (uncontrolled) is rarely encountered in ICAO member-states' airspace systems. In the UK, it was formerly a hybrid between class E (controlled) and G (uncontrolled) as Advisory Routes (ADRs).[3] In the UK, all airspace previously designated as class F was re-assigned to either class E or G on 13 November 2014.[4][5][6]

## Class G

[edit]

Individual countries designate different portions of airspace as class G, e.g. in the UK, airspace above FL660 (Flight Level 660 or 66,000 feet) is uncontrolled and belonging to class G,[7] while in the US, any airspace above FL600 (60,000 feet) is designated as class E and therefore controlled.[8] Similarly, large parts of lower airspace in the UK are uncontrolled while in the US any airspace above 700-1200 feet up to FL145 (14,500 feet), not designated as any other class of airspace (A-D) belongs to class E and is controlled.[8]

## Air traffic control

[edit]

ATC does not exercise any executive authority in uncontrolled airspace, but may provide basic information services to aircraft in radio contact.[5] The aircraft commencing its flight in uncontrolled airspace, and subsequently proceeding into controlled airspace, should obtain clearance from the ATC unit in whose area the controlled part will begin.[9] If a flight starts in controlled airspace but its subsequent portion will be uncontrolled, its clearance should be up to the point at which the controlled portion of the flight terminates.[9]

Flight in uncontrolled airspace will typically be under VFR. Aircraft operating under IFR should not expect separation from other traffic; however, in certain uncontrolled airspace, this might be provided on an 'as far as is practical' advisory basis. Controlled flights should not be vectored (directed) by ATC into uncontrolled airspace except for weather avoidance or in an emergency.[9]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Kumar, Bharat; DeRemer, Dale; Marshall, Douglas M. (2004). An Illustrated Dictionary of Aviation. New York: McGraw-Hill. p. 671\. ISBN 978-0-07-139606-6.
2. ^ "Classification of Airspace | SKYbrary Aviation Safety". www.skybrary.aero. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
3. ^ FLYER (10 September 2014). "CAA announces replacement of Class F Airspace". Melksham: Seager Publishing.
4. ^ Safety and Airspace Regulation Group (30 July 2014). "Replacement of class F airspace in UK FIRs". London: Civil Aviation Authority. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
5. ^ a b Kelly, Brendan (10 May 2017). "The hidden secrets of UK airspace: Airspace classifications". NATS. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
6. ^ Civil Aviation Authority (11 September 2014). "CAA announces replacement of Class F Airspace". London: ATC Network.
7. ^ Smith, David (2015). Air Traffic Control Handbook (10th ed.). Manchester: Crécy. p. 37\. ISBN 978-08597-91830.
8. ^ a b Federal Aviation Administration (12 October 2017). "AIM (Aeronautical Information Manual). Official Guide to Basic Flight Information and ATC Procedures" (PDF). U.S. Department of Transportation. pp. 137–138. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
9. ^ a b c International Civil Aviation Organization (2016). "Doc 4444 Procedures for Air Navigation Services — Air Traffic Management (PANS-ATM)" (PDF). OPS Group. p. 52. Retrieved 2 May 2021.

* v
* t
* e

Commercial aviation

Airlines|

* Airline codes
* Airline holding companies
* Cargo airline
* Charter airlines
* Flag carriers
* Low-cost airlines
* Non-scheduled airline
* Passenger airlines
* Regional airlines

Alliances|

* Oneworld
* SkyTeam
* Star Alliance
* Value Alliance
* Vanilla Alliance
* U-FLY Alliance

Trade groups|

* International
* ACO
* ATAG
* IATA
* IATAN
* IFALPA
* ISTAT
* United States
* A4A
* RAA
* Europe
* A4E
* ASD
* ECA
* EBAA
* ERA
* ETWF
* Other regions
* AACO
* AAPA
* AFRAA
* RAAA

Aircrew|

* Pilot in command (Captain)
* First officer
* Second officer
* Third officer
* Relief crew
* Flight attendant
* Flight engineer
* Loadmaster
* Aircraft pilot
* Purser
* Dead mileage

Airliner|

* Travel class
* First class
* Business class
* Premium economy class
* Economy class
* Basic economy class
* Aircraft cabin
* Aircraft lavatory
* Aircraft seat map
* Airline meal
* Airline seat
* Buy on board
* Crew rest compartment
* In-flight entertainment
* Inflight smoking
* Galley
* Sickness bag

Airport|

* Aerodrome
* Airline hub
* Airport check-in
* Airport lounge
* Airport rail link
* Airport terminal
* Airside pass
* Airstair
* Boarding
* Domestic airport
* Gate
* International airport
* Jet bridge
* Low-cost carrier terminal
* Runway
* Transit hotel

Customs / Immigration|

* Arrival card
* Border control (internal)
* Departure card
* Passport
* Timatic
* Travel document
* Travel visa (Electronic)

Environmental effects|

* Hypermobility
* Environmental effects of aviation

Law|

* Air transport agreement
* Air route authority between the United States and China
* Bermuda Agreement (UK–US, 1946–1978)
* Bermuda II Agreement (UK–US, 1978–2008)
* Cross-strait charter
* Beijing Convention
* Cape Town Treaty
* Chicago Convention
* Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives
* European Common Aviation Area
* Flight permit
* Freedoms of the air
* EU–US Open Skies Agreement
* Hague Hijacking Convention
* Hague Protocol
* Montreal Convention
* Paris Convention of 1919
* Rome Convention
* Sabotage Convention
* Tokyo Convention
* Warsaw Convention

Intergovernmental organizations|

* ICAO
* ECAC
* Eurocontrol
* EASA
* ENCASIA

Baggage|

* Bag tag
* Baggage allowance
* Baggage carousel
* Baggage cart
* Baggage reclaim
* Baggage handler
* Baggage handling system
* Baggage sizer
* Checked baggage
* Hand luggage
* Lost luggage (WorldTracer)
* Luggage lock

Aviation safety|

* Air rage
* Air traffic control
* Air traffic service
* Aircraft safety card
* Airport authority
* Airport crash tender
* Airport police
* Airport security
* Airspace class
* Area control center
* Brace position
* Civil aviation authority
* Control area
* Control zone
* Controlled airspace
* Evacuation slide
* Flight information region
* Flight information service
* Flight recorder
* Instrument flight rules
* Overwing exits
* Pre-flight safety demonstration
* Sky marshal
* Special use airspace
* Special visual flight rules
* Terminal control area
* Terminal control center
* Uncontrolled airspace
* Upper information region
* Visual flight rules

Airline tickets|

* Airline booking ploys
* Airline reservations system
* Airline ticket
* Airline timetable
* Bereavement flight
* Boarding pass
* Codeshare agreement
* Continent pass
* Electronic ticket
* Fare basis code
* Flight cancellation and delay
* Frequent-flyer program
* Government contract flight
* One-way travel
* Open-jaw ticket
* Overbooking (Overselling)
* Passenger name record
* Red-eye flight
* Round-the-world ticket
* Standby
* Tracking
* Travel agency
* Travel website

Ground crew|

* Aircraft maintenance technician
* Aircraft ground handling
* Baggage handler
* Flight dispatcher

Miscellaneous|

* Air cargo
* Air travel
* Aviation taxation and subsidies
* Mile high club

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template