What is a Military Operations Area (MOA), and how should VFR pilots treat them?

3-4-5. Military Operations Areas
a. MOAs consist of airspace of defined vertical and lateral limits established for the purpose of separating
certain military training activities from IFR traffic. Whenever a MOA is being used, nonparticipating IFR traffic
may be cleared through a MOA if IFR separation can be provided by ATC. Otherwise, ATC will reroute or restrict
nonparticipating IFR traffic.
b. Examples of activities conducted in MOAs include, but are not limited to: air combat tactics, air intercepts,
aerobatics, formation training, and low-altitude tactics. Military pilots flying in an active MOA are exempted
from the provisions of 14 CFR section 91.303(c) and (d) which prohibits aerobatic flight within Class D and Class
E surface areas, and within Federal airways. Additionally, the Department of Defense has been issued an
authorization to operate aircraft at indicated airspeeds in excess of 250 knots below 10,000 feet MSL within
active MOAs.
c. Pilots operating under VFR should exercise extreme caution while flying within a MOA when military
activity is being conducted. The activity status (active/inactive) of MOAs may change frequently. Therefore,
pilots should contact any FSS within 100 miles of the area to obtain accurate real-time information concerning
the MOA hours of operation. Prior to entering an active MOA, pilots should contact the controlling agency for
traffic advisories.
d. Permanent MOAs are charted on Sectional Aeronautical, VFR Terminal Area, and the appropriate En
Route Low Altitude charts.
NOTE-
Temporary MOAs are not charted.