Definition
A block of airspace, defined by specific lateral and vertical boundaries and a set time period, reserved for activities that occur at a fixed location. Stationary Altitude Reservations are commonly used for activities such as aerial refueling, missile firings, special tests, or other operations that need a protected, non-moving piece of sky. They are coordinated and approved through the Air Traffic Control System Command Center.
Plain English
A chunk of airspace at a fixed location set aside for a specific activity during a specific time, so other aircraft stay clear.
Context Anchor
Seen in air traffic planning, notices, and special-use airspace coordination when an activity needs protected airspace over a fixed area.
Derivation
‘Stationary’ comes from the Latin stationarius, meaning ‘standing still.’ ‘Reservation’ means something set aside for a specific use. Together: airspace held aside that doesn’t move — distinguishing it from a Moving Altitude Reservation, which travels along a route.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots must avoid these areas to maintain separation from potentially hazardous activities; entering one without clearance can trigger emergency procedures or airspace violations.
Intuition Check
Do not read “stationary” as meaning the aircraft are not moving. Here it means the reserved airspace stays over a fixed area instead of shifting along a route.
Example Sentence 1
A Stationary Altitude Reservation was active over the test range, so ATC vectored the flight twenty miles south of the planned route.
Example Sentence 2
During the briefing the crew confirmed that the stationary altitude reservation supporting the drone exercise would not overlap their arrival corridor.