Mid-Air Collision Avoidance (MACA)

Mid-Air Collision Avoidance (MACA)
  • Service members, more specifically aviators, have the responsibility to be aware of potential conflicts and avoid them, especially in flight.
  • Approximately 65 percent of all near mid-air collisions reported occur near airports, 15 percent happen on low-level training routes and 10 percent take place in military operating areas. With this in mind, it is important to consistently maintain awareness of saturated airspace when conducting missions.
  • Be aware of threats and always scan for traffic conflicts. The information provided below will assist aviators and crew members with gaining an understanding of flying procedures for Moffett Federal Airfield-based aircraft and the General Aviation (GA) community in the Bay Area. 
Notes Regarding Moffett Field:
  • Moffett Federal Airfield is a special-use federal airfield serving NASA, military, law enforcement, FEMA, and various civilian organizations. Private sector operations at Moffett do not include any scheduled air-carrier or cargo operations, and the airfield does not have an FAA certificate to conduct operations under CFR Part 139.
  • Air Traffic Control services in Moffett’s Class D airspace are provided by Moffett Tower (VHF frequency 119.55) from 0700 to 2300 local time, seven days a week. The Moffett Class D airspace overlaps with Palo Alto Muni (PAO) Class D, and a well-established MOA exists between Moffett Tower, PAO and SJC defining boundaries and tower coordination.
  • General aviation (GA) operations in and out of Moffett are extremely light. Practice touch and goes for GA aircraft are not allowed at Moffett, so GA operations are limited to Class D transit and practice instrument approaches. Non-tenant GA aircraft require a PPR to land at Moffett.           
Military Operations at Moffett:
  • The 129th Rescue Wing (129 RQW) of the California Air National Guard is based at Moffett, and it conducts the majority of the airfield’s flight operations. In addition to VFR patterns and instrument approach practice, the 129RQW’s MC-130P aircraft and HH-60G helicopters conduct personnel airdrop and hoist operations at Moffett. In the evenings, unit training necessitates the extinguishing of airfield lighting for periods of up to 30 minutes at a time.
  • 129 RQW aircraft conduct other training in the local area to include airdrop operations in Monterey Bay off Santa Cruz and Helicopter Air Refueling. Much of this training is accomplished at night.

Contacts

Flight Safety
650-603-8189

Address
680 Macon Road
Moffett ANGB, CA 94035