Military operations areas (MOAs)
What an MOA is, whether VFR aircraft may enter, and how to stay safe near military training.
A military operations area (MOA) is special-use airspace established to separate military training activities from IFR traffic. Inside an active MOA the military conducts maneuvers such as air-combat training, formation flying, and aerobatics — operations with rapid speed and heading changes.
A crucial point that surprises many new pilots: VFR aircraft are not prohibited from transiting an active MOA. You may legally fly through. But you absolutely should exercise extreme caution, because a fast jet maneuvering aggressively may have very little time to see and avoid you. IFR traffic, by contrast, is kept out of (or separated within) an active MOA by ATC.
Best practices when an MOA is on your route:
- Check whether it's active via NOTAMs, the Chart Supplement times, or by asking the controlling ATC facility or flight service.
- If active, consider routing around or above/below it, or request VFR flight following so ATC can call traffic.
- Keep your eyes outside and your landing light on.
MOAs are charted with a magenta hatched boundary and a name (e.g. "GAMECOCK MOA"). The chart margin lists the floor, ceiling, times of use, and controlling agency. Treat an active MOA as a place where the other traffic is faster, harder to see, and not expecting you.
*Reference and training only. Consult current charts, NOTAMs and the FAA AIM.*