Florida only has one restricted 'no-fly zone,' and it might not be where you expected

The airplane that briefly posed a threat to the White House in Washington, D.C. on Sunday was considered a threat once it crossed into what is known as restricted airspace, no-fly zones and prohibited airspace.

The Cessna 560 Citation V plane, which was registered to a Florida business based out of Melbourne, was spotted as it flew near the National Capital Region Sunday afternoon. The U.S. Capitol Complex was "briefly placed on an elevated alert until the airplane left the area," according to U.S. Capitol Police.

NORAD scrambled jets to intercept the plane but despite repeated attempts to get the pilot's attention, including flares, there was no response. The plane crashed into mountainous terrain near Montebello in southwest Virginia around 3:30 p.m. No survivors were found, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Are there any permanent no-fly zones over Florida?

The FAA issues Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) in the form of a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) which are effective for the duration of an event, typically a few days or weeks. TFRs are issued for VIP movement such as the president's travels outside Washington, D.C.

Around the world, no-fly zones include mountain ranges, religious and political sites, national monuments like the Taj Mahal in India and environmentally sensitive areas

Similar to the White House and the U.S. Capitol, there is one place in Florida that has is designated as a permanent no-fly zone or a permanent Temporary Flight Restrictions space: Disney World in Orlando.

Disney World and Disneyland in California received temporary special safety status following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Two years later, it was made permanent.  The one currently in place was reissued in 2014.

According to the aviation news website simplyflying.com, no planes are allowed below 3,000 feet and within three miles of the two parks. The ban includes all flying objects, such as drones. It is possible to apply for a permit, where the Transport Security Administration (TSA) will vet the pilots and passengers and send a waiver request to the FAA. The parks are the only two non-governmental locations in the continental US to have NFZs in place.

Do sports stadiums in Florida have a no-fly zone designation?

Yes. There are what is called indirect Temporary Flight Restrictions prohibiting flight below 3,000 feet (910 m) above ground level and within a three nautical miles (5.6 km) radius of stadiums with seating capacity of 30,000 or more, in which a World Series, MLS Cup Final, Super Bowl, College Football Playoff National Championships, NASCAR race or WrestleMania is taking place, from one hour before to one hour after the event.

Are the military bases in Florida designated as no-fly zones?

• Aside from the TFRs that are issued, the Federal Aviation Administration does classify airspace around the country differently, but most fall under SUA which is “Special Use Airspace.”
• This can include different kinds of airspace like Military Operations Areas.
• There are a number of special use airspaces throughout Florida which line up with military operations and those, for the most part, are classified as SUA under Military Operations Area which are different than Disney World which is a permanent Temporary Flight Restriction defined as ‘National Defense Airspace.’

Jamie Groh, a space reporter for Florida Today and the USA TODAY Network-Florida in Melbourne, contributed to this report.