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SUACS and SUAAIS Services Guide

Introduction

This page explains SUACS (Special Use Airspace Crossing Service) and SUAAIS (Special Use Airspace Activity Information Service) procedures.

Note

  1. You may get a request for a DACS (Danger Area Crossing Service) or DAAIS (Danger Area Activity Information Service). This is exactly the same thing, as it is older terminology.
  2. Where there is no possibility of confusion, the SUA identification number may be replaced by the name. For example, instead of referring to Danger Area 208, it would be Danger Area Stanford.

What is SUA?

SUA, or Special Use Airspace, is a generic term for airspace volumes designated for specific activities such as military training, test and evaluation, the dropping of munitions, or other activities. This may include restricted, danger, and prohibited areas, or temporary segregated areas (TSA), or temporary reserved areas (TRA).

SUACS

A Special Use Airspace Crossing Service, or SUACS, allows pilots to enter or cross a SUA structure notified as active when activity or entry requirements permit. It may be provided without reference to surveillance derived information, and as such is only in relation to the SUA activity and does not imply any coordination, ATS, or aim to achieve separation minima. Separation minima and the provision of traffic information shall be in accordance with the airspace classification and the specific ATS agreed between the pilot and the ATS unit.

Entry approval is dependant on the real time status of the activity within the active SUA, and may include limitations, such as times or altitudes, to ensure that the aircraft remains outside of the SUA activity.

SUACS Example - Permitted to cross

Brize Radar, G-CCXC, request crossing of Danger Area 218A at 5000 ft, between 1430 and 1450.
G-CCXC, Brize Radar, Danger Area 218A crossing approved between 1430 and 1450, report vacated.
Danger Area 218A crossing approved between 1430 and 1450, wilco, G-CCXC.

G-CCXC, vacated Danger Area 218A.
G-XC, Brize Radar, roger.

SUACS Example - Not permitted to cross

Brize Radar, G-CCXC, request crossing of Danger Area 218A at 5000 ft, between 1430 and 1450.
G-CCXC, Brize Radar, Danger Area 218A active, remain outside.
Danger Area 218A active, remaining outside, G-CCXC.

SUAAIS

A Special Use Airspace Activity Information Service, or SUAAIS, allows pilots to obtain an airborne update of the notified status of SUA.
Information from a SUAAIS does not imply permission to enter SUA, but can assist a pilot in determining if it is safe to proceed where SUA is established but not active. When a crossing service is also available for the SUA, the pilot may be provided with the appropriate frequency.

Note

A SUAAIS is not available to aircraft operating on ATS Routes and Upper Air Routes where they cross SUA.

SUAAIS Example - Inactive Danger Area

Lydd Approach, G-CCXC, request information for Danger Area 098G.
G-CCXC, Lydd Approach, Danger Area 098G not active.
Danger Area 098G not active, G-CCXC.

SUAAIS Example - Active Danger Area and Crossing Service available

Lydd Approach, G-CCXC, request information for Danger Area 098G.
G-CCXC, Lydd Approach, Danger Area 098G active 1300 to 1630, crossing service may be available from Swanwick Mil 133.9.
Danger Area 098G active, G-CCXC.

SUAAIS Example - Active Danger Area, no crossing service available

Lydd Approach, G-CCXC, request information for Danger Area 098G.
G-CCXC, Lydd Approach, Danger Area 098G active 1300 to 1630, crossing service unavailable.
Danger Area 098G active, G-CCXC.