Dave S wrote:

Continental Express conducts some training within 150 miles of my area,
and at night, I have heard them request and recieve blocks of airspace
(big pie wedges) that are thousands of feet deep for airborne
maneuvering. Im presuming that they are required to operate under IFR by
company or Fed/Op Spec guidelines, so to conduct these maneuvers in IFR
requires the chunk of airspace, hence the "block"

When flying a glider in Class A airspace pursuant to an LOA,
I call to open what we colloquially refer to as a "wave
window." The phone at ATC is always answered "Military
Desk" which I presume is the desk responsible for
controlling "blocks" of airspace that are defined by
geographical limits (set in the LOA). ATC will ask for the
name of the block (also defined in the LOA), the requested
altitude block (typically from the bottom of Class A to
FL250 to start) check it in the computer and then advise
if/when it can be opened. These "blocks" opened by the
military desk are geographically defined blocks as well as
altitude blocks, and we're free to roam within the altitude
and geographic limits of the block while it's open.
Todd Pattist
(Remove DONTSPAMME from address to email reply.)
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