The Flight 800 Investigation

Narragansett Bay Complex

The Narragansett Bay Complex is located in the waters adjacent to the coasts of
Rhode Island and Long Island, New York. It is controlled by the Fleet Area Control
and Surveillance Facility, Virginia Capes (FACSFAC VACAPES) Naval Air Station (NAS)
Oceana.

The complex is composed of the following non-instrumented warning areas and
Operating Area (OPAREA):

    Warning Area 105 (W-105)
    Warning Area 106 (W-106)
    Narragansett Bay OPAREA

W-105/W-106/NBOA areas are scheduled for optimum use by apportioning areas for
specific users and types of exercises.

The Narragansett Bay OPAREA is an exercise/operating area off Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, and New York coasts. It overlaps W-105, W-106, and submarine transit lanes,
extending approximately 100 NMI south, and east approximately 220 NMI. The area
extends from surface to ocean bottom, and is used for surface and subsurface
exercises.

The NBOA surface operating areas are located off the coast of Long Island and
Narragansett Bay. These areas are numerically separated into lettered sub areas.
Submarine operations are normally conducted in areas 1 through 3 and 6 through 20.

Warning Area 105 (W-105) W-105 is special-use airspace over the Narragansett Bay
OPAREA-Areas 2-13, 22, 23, 25, 26 and 28 and is located approximately 75 Nautical
Miles (NMI) southeast of the NAS South Weymouth TACAN, Channel 61, bearing 160�.
W-105 is divided into five subareas. W-105 floor/ceilings are as follows:

    W-105A&C Surface to FL500
    W-105B Surface to 17,999-feet
    W-105D Surface to 14,999-feet
    W-105E 15,000-feet to FL500

W-105 is used for surface-to-air gunnery exercises using conventional ordnance and
Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW) exercises. Live firing of conventional ordnance is
authorized in the northeastern and western portion of W-105. The airspace is also
used for flight testing. Effective altitudes in W-105 are: W-105A/C, surface to
FL500; W-105B, surface to 17,999 feet; W-105D, surface to 14,999 feet; W-105E,
15,000 feet to FL500.

The Warning Area 106 (W-106) is special-use airspace over the Narragansett Bay
OPAREA-Areas 2, 21-25 and 27 and is located approximately 90 NMI from the NAS Willow
Grove TACAN, Channel 61, bearing 075�. W-106 is divided into four subareas.

W-106 floor/ceilings are as follows:

    W-106A Surface to 3000-feet MSL
    W-106B Surface to 8000-feet MSL
    W-106C Surface to 10000-feet MSL
    W-106D Surface to 5,999-feet MSL

W-106 airspace is used for air-intercept training. No aviation ordnance is
authorized. Effective altitudes within W-106 are: W-106A, surface to 3,000 feet;
W-106B, surface to 8,000 feet; W-106C, surface to 10,000 feet; W-106D, surface to
5,999 feet.

Air operating Areas are designated as Special Operating Areas (SOAs) and are listed
as follows: W-106A/ B/C/D, W-105B and W-105A/C/D/E which were subdivided into areas
AIR-A/B/C/D/E/F/G. AIR-A through AIR-G were implemented in December 1996 and are not
currently listed on DMA/DOD Charts. Updates/changes will be reflected in future
publications. When requesting/utilizing Special Operating Areas in W-105A/C/D/E,
refer to using AIR-A through AIR-G designations.