Definition
A category of special use airspace that is established by formal rulemaking and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR Part 73). It includes Restricted Areas and Prohibited Areas, where flight is either restricted under specified conditions or forbidden outright because of activity inside the airspace that poses a hazard to aircraft or because of national security needs.
Plain English
Special airspace whose rules are written into federal law. Pilots must obey it. The two types are Restricted Areas (entry only with permission) and Prohibited Areas (entry not allowed at all).
Context Anchor
Seen when planning an instrument route, reading aeronautical charts, or reviewing procedures that pass near prohibited or restricted areas.
Derivation
‘Regulatory’ comes from ‘regulation,’ meaning a rule with the force of law. The word signals that this airspace is not advisory or informational — it is established by federal regulation and carries legal weight.
Why Pilots Care
Entry is prohibited or requires prior authorization; violating the rules can result in enforcement action or loss of certificate.
Intuition Check
Do not read special use airspace as airspace that pilots get to use in a special way. Here, special use means the airspace is set aside for a specific purpose, and regulatory means enforceable rules control access.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor pointed out that the Restricted Area along their route was regulatory special use airspace, so they would need to either get clearance or plan around it.
Example Sentence 2
Because the destination lay inside regulatory special use airspace, the crew obtained the required permission through the scheduling agency listed in the Chart Supplement.