AIRSPACE RESERVATIONS Introduction

AIRSPACE RESERVATIONS

1. Introduction

   1. 
      The NAT SPG has agreed to the following:
      

1. 
   applicable definitions regarding airspace reservations;
   
2. 
   principles governing the establishment and management of airspace reservations; and
   
3. 
   specific values to be used in the NAT Region in order to keep controlled flights separated from airspace reservations.
   

1. The Management of Airspace Reservations

   1. 
      Prior to requesting an airspace reservation, the requesting agency shall obtain full information on the likely effect of such a reservation on air traffic. Such information shall include areas of high traffic density that may exist in the vicinity or at the planned location of the airspace reservation, as well as information on peak periods of traffic operating through such areas. In the light of that information, the requesting agency should, to the extent possible, select the location, time and duration so that this will have the least effect on normal flight operations conducted in the area in question.
      
   2. 
      In specifying the extent of a requested airspace reservation and its duration, the requesting agency shall limit the size of the area to the absolute minimum required to contain the activities intended to be conducted within that area, taking due account of:
      

1. 
   the navigation capability of aircraft or other vehicles within the reservation;
   
2. 
   the means available to monitor those activities so as to guarantee that they will be confined within the airspace reservation; and
   
3. 
   the ability to interrupt or terminate activities.
   

1. 
   The necessary protection required for aircraft likely to be operating in the vicinity of the area, will be ensured by the ATC unit in whose airspace the airspace reservation is established and, for this reason, the requesting agency should not add any protective value to the size of the area requested. The duration of the airspace reservation shall be limited, taking a realistic account of preparation of the activities and the time required to vacate the reservation after the completion of the activities.
   
2. 
   The actual use of the temporary airspace reservation shall be based on appropriate arrangements made between the ATS unit normally responsible for the airspace, or special agents acting on its behalf, and the requesting agency. Such arrangements should inter alia cover:
   

1. 
   the start of use of the airspace reservation;
   
2. 
   the termination of its use; and
   
3. 
   emergency provisions in case of unforeseen events affecting the activities to be conducted within the airspace reservation.
   

1. 
   When an airspace reservation extends into the area of responsibility of more than one ATS unit, the requesting agency shall negotiate this airspace reservation simultaneously with all ATS units concerned, or the special agents acting on their behalf. The arrangements concluded shall be covered by common arrangements applicable to all parties concerned.
   
2. 
   If an airspace reservation, even though contained within the area of responsibility of one ATS unit only, is likely to affect the provision of ATS by adjacent ATS units in their areas of responsibility, the ATS unit directly affected by that airspace reservation shall ensure that necessary co-ordination with other concerned ATS units is made in a timely manner.
   
3. 
   The ATS unit responsible for the provision of ATS in the airspace covered by the airspace reservation shall ensure that all traffic operating under its responsibility will not approach within the specified values of the limits (horizontal and vertical) of the temporary airspace. Where necessary, such values shall be uniform and shall be established in accordance with agreements reached between the ATC authorities concerned for airspace reservations in a given area.
   
4. 
   Moving airspace reservations will not be approved in MNPS Airspace for non-MNPS approved aircraft. For formation flights in an airspace reservation, at least one of the aircraft in the formation must meet MNPS in order to satisfy the MNPS requirement (see Part 7).
   
5. 
   A formation flight will be considered as a non-RVSM flight regardless if one or all the aircraft in the formation are RVSM approved.
   

1. Specific Values for use in the NAT Region

   1. 
      The specific values given hereunder have, for convenience, been stated in the form of separation minima and have been taken from the ICAO NAT “Regional Supplementary Procedures”, (Doc.7030) and 4^th Edition of the “Application of Separation Minima North Atlantic Region” Document, Pages 74 to 77.
      
   2. 
      The horizontal separation minima relating to airspace reservations, to be used by ATC, are divided into lateral and longitudinal minimum values (the latter being only stated for moving airspace reservations), as follows:
      

3. 
   Lateral separation shall be:
   

b) 120 NM between the closest tracks of any aircraft for which the airspace is reserved, except that in the New York OCA west of 60^oW, 90 NM may be applied.

13. 
    A formation flight with at least one of the aircraft in the formation meeting MNPS is deemed to meet the requirement for the application of 60 NM in a) above.
    

4. 
   Longitudinal separation shall be 60 minutes.
   

1. 
   Lateral separation shall be:
   

1. 
   60 NM between the boundaries of stationary temporary airspace reservations, provided the requesting agencies have guaranteed to confine their activities to the requested airspace, except that in the New York OCA west of 60^oW, 45 NM may be applied; or
   
2. 
   120 NM between the boundaries of the airspace reservations, if no guarantees have been given, except that, in the New York OCA west of 60^oW, 90 NM may be applied.