Name for A/B/C/D Airspace

[jay9909]

This is an extremely pedantic and trivial question, but I'm curious. Is there a name specifically for airspace with communication requirements (A/B/C/D/Restricted)? You can't just say "controlled airspace" because that includes Echo, which doesn't fit. You can't call it "restricted", because that's a specific type of special use airspace.

Is there an official (or unofficial but commonly used) name for these classes of airspace, or do most people just not bother and call it "controlled"?

Thanks!

[Anthony Santanastaso]

[Edit] Disregard. I don't think I answered the same question you had asked.

[Keith Smith]

I don't think it's pedantic at all. My observation is that people use "controlled airspace" to mean "communication with ATC is required," although that is not the correct definition of controlled airspace.

There isn't a label which works for A/B/C/D/Restricted airspace that I'm aware of. I usually just say, "airspace where communication with ATC is required."

[Peter Grey]

Regulatory is the closest term to what you're looking for I think.

Regulatory airspace consists of Class A-E, Restricted, TFR's, and Prohibited and consists of airspace formally defined by regulation (Part 71, 73, and 91) and therefore the airspace where the FAA regulates aircraft (with minor weird exception for class G airspace).

Non-Regulatory is everything else and airspace where the FAA can't regulate your action (MOAs, Alert Areas, TRSA's, and so on).

There really isn't an exact term for exactly what you want but those above are the closest I can get using FAA terms.