Home / VFR Academy / Before the flight
VFR Academy · Before the flight
TSA and TRA: checking the AUP/UUP before VFR
Zones that are free one day and closed the next. What TSA, TRA, MRT and D areas are, where to find the AUP/UUP, how to read it and how to plan a route so that you do not fly into an active zone.
Applies to: Poland (FIR Warszawa). Based on the SERA regulation (EU 923/2012) and AIP Poland, AIRAC cycle of 1 October 2026. Other countries have other rules. Before the flight always check the current AIP Poland, NOTAM and AUP/UUP.
Zones that switch on and off
Applies to: Poland · Source: AIP Poland ENR 5.2, ENR 5.2.1 · as of 1.10.2026
Poland applies the concept of the flexible use of airspace (FUA): airspace is not permanently military or civil, but allocated according to the needs of the day. That is why many zones are always on the chart but are in force only when someone books them with AMC Poland (the PANSA Airspace Management Cell).
| Element | What it is for | Crossing when active |
|---|---|---|
| TSA - temporary segregated area | test and training flights, training with manoeuvres outside the rules of the air, BVLOS drone operations | impossible for aircraft not taking part in the operations |
| TRA - temporary reserved area | as a TSA, for activities that allow other traffic | with an ATC clearance (TRA in a controlled class) or the user's permission (others) |
| MRT - military route | a corridor for military training flights | impossible for aircraft not taking part in the operations (as a TSA) |
| D - danger area | activities dangerous to flights, e.g. firing | flights by aircraft not performing tasks in the area are prohibited |
| ATZ "according to the AUP" | traffic zone around an uncontrolled airfield | class G, the rules of that ATZ (e.g. radio) - see AIP VFR ENR 2.1 |
TSAs and TRAs are sometimes divided into segments (e.g. A, B) that can be booked separately, often at different altitudes. Planning systems shorten their designators: TSA becomes TS, TRA TR, e.g. EPTS22A. On the vfrmap.eu map TSAs, TRAs and MRT routes have their own colours and a label with the limits along the edge.
AUP and UUP: the airspace use plan
Applies to: Poland · Source: AIP Poland ENR 5.2.1 items 8-9, ENR 1.2 item 15 · as of 1.10.2026
- The AUP (Airspace Use Plan) is the plan for the use of airspace. AMC Poland publishes it no later than the day before the planned activity. It shows which elements will be active, at what times and at what altitudes.
- The AUP covers the day from 06:00 UTC to 06:00 UTC the next day.
- The UUP (Updated Airspace Use Plan) is the update of the AUP issued on the day of operations. Changes to the published AUP are available precisely in the UUP.
- The activity of elements that are a restriction in class G airspace can only be reduced or cancelled in the UUP. A zone should therefore not suddenly "grow" during the day in the airspace where you fly VFR.
- Users of the airspace below FL95 should check the planned activity of airspace elements published in the AUP/UUP by AMC Poland or in NOTAM.
Where to check the AUP/UUP
Applies to: Poland · Source: AIP Poland ENR 1.2 item 15, ENR 5.2.1 · as of 1.10.2026
- airspace.pansa.pl - the AUP/UUP map run by PANSA: you choose the time and altitude and see which elements are active. It is the most convenient way for a VFR pilot.
- amc.pansa.pl - the AMC Poland website with information about the plan and bookings.
- NOTAM - restrictions that are not in the AUP (e.g. temporary areas) and changes to airspace structures. The graphical AUP map does not replace NOTAM.
- FIS in flight - the FIS officer gives the activity of zones in their sector. Ask if you are not sure.
- The VFR MAP EUROPE app downloads the AUP/UUP and draws inactive TSAs and TRAs with a dashed line and booked ones clearly, with the booking times when you tap the zone.
! Watch out for
- UTC time. The most common mistake is reading the AUP times as local time. In summer you will be 2 hours out, in winter 1.
- Booked altitudes. A zone may be booked in only part of its vertical extent. The limits of the booking count, but never higher or lower than those published in the AIP.
- Segments. Only segment B of a zone may be active and segment A next to it not. Check the designator to the letter.
- Yesterday's plan does not apply today. Each AUP covers one day. Check the plan for the day of the flight, and the UUP in the morning.
How to read a booking
Applies to: Poland · Source: AIP Poland ENR 5.2.1 items 4-5 · as of 1.10.2026
Each entry of the plan says what, from when to when and at what altitudes. You can print the table as a cheat sheet.
An AUP/UUP entry - how to read it · AIP Poland ENR 5.2.1 · as of 1.10.2026
| Field | Example (illustrative) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Designator | EPTS22A | TSA no. 22, segment A (TS = TSA, TR = TRA) |
| From - to | 0800 - 1200 | activity time in UTC |
| Lower limit | GND / 2500 | from the ground / from 2500 ft AMSL (on QNH) |
| Upper limit | FL095 | up to flight level 95 (on 1013.2 hPa) |
| Remarks | CLN | element conflicting with controlled airspace |
Times are always UTC. The booked limits cannot go beyond the limits published in AIP Poland ENR 5.2.1.1-5.2.1.3. Educational material: vfrmap.eu/en/academy/tsa-tra-aup-uup/.
Formula · UTC and Polish time
Polish time = UTC + 2 h in summer (CEST) · UTC + 1 h in winter (CET)
Clock change in Poland: the last Sunday of March and the last Sunday of October.
Example: a 0800-1200 UTC booking is 10:00-14:00 Polish time in summer and 09:00-13:00 in winter.
Planning the route step by step
- Draw the route on the map and decide the cruise altitude.
- List the FUA elements that the route crosses or passes close to: TSA, TRA, MRT, D and ATZs "according to the AUP". The route profile on the vfrmap.eu map shows the airspace crossed at the planned altitude.
- Work out the times over each of them (take-off time plus flight time to that place) and convert them to UTC.
- Check the AUP for the day of the flight: whether the element is active in your time window and at your altitude. Add a margin for a delayed take-off.
- Prepare an alternative: a route around, or an altitude below the zone if its lower limit allows it.
- On the morning of the flight check the UUP and NOTAM. A zone in class G may have been cancelled, and a new restriction may have appeared in NOTAM.
- In flight listen to FIS and ask about the activity of the zones ahead.
Examples: can I fly this way?
Illustrative situations, altitudes on QNH, times in UTC.
| Plan and situation | Verdict |
|---|---|
| TSA active 0800-1200 UTC, GND - FL95. Crossing it at 11:30 UTC at 2500 ft | no - go around the zone |
| The same TSA, crossing at 12:40 UTC | yes, the booking has ended - check the UUP in case it was extended |
| TSA segment B active from 3500 ft to FL95. Flying below it at 2500 ft | yes, below the zone, with a 1000 ft margin - watch your altitude |
| A TRA in class G is active. You want to fly through it | only with the zone user's permission |
| A D area active according to the AUP and NOTAM | no - flight prohibited |
| AUP times read as Polish time (in summer) | 2 hours out - always convert from UTC |
✓ A quick method
For each zone on the route write one line in the nav log: zone name, time over it in UTC, your altitude, activity from the AUP. If any column says "don't know", the plan is not ready.
In flight: when a zone on the route becomes active
Applies to: Poland · Source: AIP Poland ENR 5.2.1 items 9-10 · as of 1.10.2026
The plan is not everything: the user may start the activity later, interrupt it or finish early, and the AMC may limit or stop flights in the zone. So in flight:
- listen to FIS and ask about the status of the zone before you reach it;
- if the zone is active, go around it or change altitude so as to stay outside its vertical extent;
- in a TRA in a controlled class ask ATC for a clearance to cross, and if you do not get it, go around the zone;
- do not assume the zone is free because "nobody usually flies at the weekend" - only the plan for that day and information from the services count.
How to read zone limits and how controlled airspace differs from uncontrolled is covered in the article Airspace in Poland for VFR pilots.
Frequently asked questions
What are the AUP and the UUP?
The AUP (Airspace Use Plan) is the plan published by AMC Poland no later than the day before the planned activity. It shows which TSAs, TRAs, MRTs, D areas and other elements will be active, at what times and at what altitudes. The UUP (Updated Airspace Use Plan) is its update issued on the day of operations.
What period does the AUP cover?
The AUP covers the day from 06:00 UTC to 06:00 UTC the next day (AIP Poland ENR 5.2.1). Times in the AUP and UUP are always UTC: Polish time is UTC+2 in summer and UTC+1 in winter.
How does a TSA differ from a TRA?
An aircraft not taking part in the operations planned in an active TSA (temporary segregated area) cannot fly through it. An active TRA (temporary reserved area) can be crossed with an ATC clearance when the TRA has a controlled airspace class, or with its user's permission in other cases.
Can a zone in class G be activated in the UUP at the last minute?
According to AIP Poland ENR 5.2.1 the activity of airspace elements published in the AUP/UUP that are a restriction in class G airspace can only be reduced or cancelled in the UUP. A zone that was not in the AUP should therefore not suddenly appear in class G, but always check NOTAM too and listen to FIS.
Where can I check the current AUP/UUP?
The plan is published by AMC Poland at PANSA. PANSA offers a graphical version with a choice of time and altitude at airspace.pansa.pl, and information about the AMC is at amc.pansa.pl. FIS will also tell you about active zones on your route in flight.
Sources
- AIP Poland, AIRAC cycle of 1.10.2026: ENR 1.2 item 15 (flight planning and flexible elements), ENR 5.2 and ENR 5.2.1 (TSA, TRA, MRT, AUP/UUP, activation procedures and flights in the zones), ENR 5.1.3 (D areas) - ais.pansa.pl
- AIP VFR Poland: ENR 2.1 (ATZs active according to the AUP) - ais.pansa.pl
- PANSA AUP/UUP map - airspace.pansa.pl, AMC Poland - amc.pansa.pl
Educational material. It does not replace flight training, the current AIP Poland, NOTAM or the regulations. The sample bookings in the article are illustrative and do not describe the real plan for any day. Spotted a mistake? Write to info@vfrmap.eu.