ATC Zero
Encyclopedia
ATC Zero is an aviation
term used when local airspace
is closed. All aircraft going to any destination inside of the airspace must re-route, and any aircraft
already in the airspace must either land
or fly outside of the affected airspace.
ATC Zero gained widespread notability in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, when all airspace in the United States
was closed by the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA). Due to the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull
in Europe, an ATC Zero condition was declared, with large swaths of European airspace being closed due to volcanic ash.
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
term used when local airspace
Airspace
Airspace means the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a country above its territory, including its territorial waters or, more generally, any specific three-dimensional portion of the atmosphere....
is closed. All aircraft going to any destination inside of the airspace must re-route, and any aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
already in the airspace must either land
Landing
thumb|A [[Mute Swan]] alighting. Note the ruffled feathers on top of the wings indicate that the swan is flying at the [[Stall |stall]]ing speed...
or fly outside of the affected airspace.
ATC Zero gained widespread notability in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, when all airspace in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was closed by the Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
(FAA). Due to the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull
2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull
The 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull were volcanic events at Eyjafjöll in Iceland which, although relatively small for volcanic eruptions, caused enormous disruption to air travel across western and northern Europe over an initial period of six days in April 2010. Additional localised disruption...
in Europe, an ATC Zero condition was declared, with large swaths of European airspace being closed due to volcanic ash.