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F-22 Plus-Up Environmental Assessment - Joint Base Elmendorf ...

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F-<strong>22</strong> <strong>Plus</strong>-<strong>Up</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Assessment</strong><br />

3.0 Affected Environment<br />

Class D controlled airspace has been established around the JBER-<strong>Elmendorf</strong> airfield. This<br />

controlled airspace abuts the Class C controlled airspace around Anchorage International<br />

Airport to the southwest, and the Restricted Area R-<strong>22</strong>03 over JBER-Fort Richardson to the<br />

northeast. While the base control tower manages arrivals and departures at JBER-<strong>Elmendorf</strong>,<br />

Anchorage Approach Control has overall responsibility for traffic management within the<br />

AATA. Detailed processes, procedures, and altitude separation requirements that must be<br />

followed by military and civilian pilots operating within the AATA are published in<br />

aeronautical charts.<br />

Aircraft at the base have flown in this airspace for more than<br />

60 years without conflict with civil aviation. While the<br />

AATA is congested, continued coordination between base<br />

ATC and Anchorage Approach Control minimizes conflicts.<br />

The existing conditions include approximately 40,000 to<br />

60,000 operations per year at JBER-<strong>Elmendorf</strong> (see table 2.1-<br />

2). The base control tower coordinates closely with the<br />

AATA to support military and civil aviation in the region.<br />

3.1.2 Training Airspace Existing Conditions<br />

JBER-<strong>Elmendorf</strong> actively supports AATA<br />

management of the regional airspace. That<br />

support includes transient military aircraft<br />

such as this C-5.<br />

Navigable airspace is a national resource administered by the FAA. FAA has charted and<br />

published SUA for military and other governmental activities. Management of SUA considers<br />

how airspace is designated, used, and administered to best accommodate the individual and<br />

common needs of civil and military aviation. The FAA considers multiple and sometimes<br />

competing demands for aviation airspace in relation to airport operations, Federal Airways, Jet<br />

Routes, military flight training activities, and other special needs to determine how the National<br />

Airspace System can best be structured to address all user requirements.<br />

The FAA has designated four types of airspace within the U.S.: Controlled, Special Use, Other,<br />

and Uncontrolled airspace. Controlled airspace is airspace of defined dimensions within which<br />

ATC service is provided to Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) flights and to Visual Flight Rule (VFR)<br />

flights in accordance with the airspace classification (Pilot/Controller Glossary [P/CG] 2004).<br />

Controlled airspace is categorized into five separate classes: Classes A through E. These classes<br />

identify airspace that is controlled, airspace supporting airport operations, and designated<br />

airways affording en route transit from place-to-place. The classes also dictate pilot<br />

qualification requirements, rules of flight that must be followed, and the type of equipment<br />

necessary to operate within that airspace. <strong>Elmendorf</strong> aircrews fly under FAA rules when not in<br />

training airspace.<br />

SUA is designated airspace within which flight activities are conducted that require<br />

confinement of participating aircraft, or place operating limitations on non-participating<br />

aircraft. Restricted Areas and MOAs depicted on Figure 2.2-2 are examples of SUA.<br />

Other airspace consists of advisory areas, areas that have specific flight limitations or<br />

designated prohibitions, areas designated for parachute jump operations, MTRs, and Aerial<br />

Refueling Tracks (ARs). This category also includes ATCAAs. When not required for other<br />

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