Well, if the restriction is such that you don’t need permission, then of course you don’t. 
A restricted area is not in itself controlled airspace! You don’t get a clearance to cross, you get permission to cross
It is much simpler than that.
A restricted area is an airspace of defined dimensions, above the land areas or territorial waters of a State, within which the flight of aircraft is restricted in accordance with certain specified conditions.
It is the condition as specified in the AIP or in the NOTAM which makes whether you need a permission from somebody or not. Sometimes the condition is as simple as “being in radio contact with the flight information service”.
A restricted area is not in itself controlled airspace! You don’t get a clearance to cross, you get permission to cross
Today is a good day – I have learned something new. Thanks very much!
Well said.
Let’s assume I begin an IFR flight on an ICAO flight plan from an airport that is located within and surrounded by airspace G. By some means I get issued a clearance from that airport to a destination. The words “cleared to” and “direct” are being used. The flight path, when following the “direct to” leads through a restricted area.
Is that scenario even possible? Where, where not?
Yes, it is possible. I’ve had such clearances. (In Sweden.)
Is the pilot allowed to cross the restricted area based on the route clearance received or is that clearance not valid for crossing the restricted area due to airspace G?
You have the clearance, but it is only valid in controlled airspace. If the R-area is in class G, you don’t have a valid clearance so you must instead explicitly ask permission to pass the R-area.
My personal interpretation is: restricted areas are controlled airspace when active. So someone can provide a clearance to cross. When the restricted area is not active and it is class G all around, then everything is G and no clearance is required. So in the very end reception of a route clearance indicates that the restricted area is active and the pilot has received approval to cross it.
No! A restricted area is not in itself controlled airspace! You don’t get a clearance to cross, you get permission to cross, the distinction is important. If the restricted area is in controlled airspace, any clearance taking you through the restricted area will imply permission, but that’s a different matter.
There is no consistency between different states’ use of P/R/D.
You get P where you can enter when cleared (belgium)
You get R where no permission can be obtained (many)
You get D where you are not allowed to enter, or can get clearances (UK)
Btw – in the UK, danger areas that are really restricted areas have an asterisk next to their designator on the chart. All sorts of other symbols indicate whether you can get a crossing service (helpfully, the symbol is a cross) or an information service that tells you if the thing is active or not (a paragraph sign,IIRC).
You also get silly pseudo-danger-areas such as gas venting sites (largely non-dangerous), drop zones (highly dangerous), areas of intense arial activity (quite dangerous, sometimes) and high-intensity radio transmission areas (not quite so dangerous).
There are also temporary prohibited zones (ZIT) which are permanent, uncontrolled airspace established for controlled flights (class F in Germany), air traffic control service in uncontrolled airspace (UK).
It is a complete mess, hence i fly IFR and let the controllers worry about that.
BTW – expensive as they may be, Jeppesen VFR manuals are still the best source of educating pilots about national peculiarities, unless you want to read the AIP yourself.
And on the subject of PRD….something that caught me out 18years ago when I first flew in the UK was Danger areas….I had been taught that P = You can never enter, R = You need permission to enter, and D = you can enter but take care…..NOT SO in the UK….many (all?) Danger areas are covered by separate statutes meaning you need permission….I could (and still don’t really) understand why they bother with Danger areas if they (the UK) treat them like Restricted areas…. But on the plus side there are almost no Prohibited areas!
ho gets enroute notams for a Eurocontrol IFR flight? Practically nobody. Especially as the route flown often diverges from the route filed
SkyDemon shows airspace affected by NOTAM with cross-hatching (in VFR mode)….a quick change to VFR mode, touch the area in question and there you have all the info you need….hours of operation, agency, frequency etc….
Sure, but that is hardly the default position on a Eurocontrol IFR flight.
No, but then not every instruction raises “doubts” or “suspicion”. A DCT instruction by ATC, in the enroute section of a flight at say FL100 which takes me through a maze of red areas does not really raise any doubts, really. He’s guiding me through controlled airspace. It’s more those moments in the very beginning and the very end of a flight (where one tends to operate in uncontrolled airspace) where doubts may arise.
If in doubt, ask.
Sure, but that is hardly the default position on a Eurocontrol IFR flight.
It’s a tricky one, and it does underline the need for “VFR” awareness along the route.
But who gets enroute notams for a Eurocontrol IFR flight? Practically nobody. Especially as the route flown often diverges from the route filed.
