Originally posted by DiabloTX
Got an email from one of my brother's with this question in it:
"I'm trying to find out what government agency is the official repository
and dispensary for controlled and regulated airspace in the USA.
(Controlled is what you find around airports. Regulated is what you
find over the Grand Canyon and Camp David.) "Look at a sectional" is
not a valid answer, either!"
Can anyone help a brothah out?
For all practical purposes that would be the FAA. The FAA doesn't own it all but is the clearing house for getting the information to the pilot. What the FAA considers to be "controlled" airspace (Class E) is, for the most part, any airspace above 1200' AGL in most of the country dropping to 700' AGL in the vicinity of an airport with a published instrument approach. There is also a special case, Class E to the Surface. There are very few areas of uncontrolled airspace left. I get the feeling what you are thinking of as "controlled airspace" would actually be Class A, B, C or D where you have to actually be talking to someone (or in the case of Class A or B actually have a clearance) in order to operate there. There are various flavors of SUA (special use airspace) which includes MOAs (typically you can fly through), Restricted Areas (contact the controlling agency listed in the Sectional overleaf if VFR, you are automatically cleared through IFR if the Restricted area is on your cleared route), Prohibited Areas (Camp David, don't even ask), Victor Airways, Alert Areas, ADIZ, DEWIZ etc. The Grand Canyon is a special case and is governed by a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR 50) found in the appendix to Part 91 General Operating and Flight Rules.