Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 15; Flight Crew Total 3700; Flight Crew Type 800
Situational Awareness
Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Exited Penetrated Airspace
Airspace Structure; Human Factors
I am an experienced pilot in Europe but a new pilot in the U.S.; so I try to get the best from the flight planning tools in the U.S. but everything is not always as clear to me than it would be for old American pilots. I was on a VFR flight from HND; to MHV. Before my flight I checked on the FAA website (sua.faa.gov) the activity status of all special status area on my route. Seeing that R2502N was hot; I decided to avoid it by the north. On the same website; R2524 was not shown as active. So I decided to plan my route through it. From departure at HND I requested flight following; as I always do; to ensure I don't do any navigation mistake and to have help in case I need it. I updated the FAA website inflight and R2524 was still cold. I was on flight following with Joshua app; the dedicated ATC center for R2524; radar identified with a specific squawk code. With no specific request on my side; Joshua cleared me through R2524 'at or above 12000 ft' which I didn't really understand as I was flying at 8500ft and; in my mind; the area was inactive. I should have asked why; but I didn't. Just before entering the area; the ATC asked me to take a heading 340. I thought it was for airplane avoidance; and I followed the heading for some time. After a few minutes; I asked to resume navigation; which ATC approved. So I resumed my navigation direct to MHV; which made me enter the R2524 area. Then the ATC told me I was inside an active restricted area - this is when I realized my error!I talked to the center supervisor on the phone later; and explained the situation. He agreed that the area was not active on the website; but explained me that it was not meaning it was not active 'for real' and that I should have asked ATC about it. I apologized about that and I hope I haven't caused any trouble for other airplanes training in the area. On my side; it's a good lesson for next time; as my flight instructor told me: always ask ATC even when FAA website says it's OK; and always assume restricted areas are hot unless ATC says otherwise!
C172 pilot was advised by ATC he was in a hot restricted area that was shown cold during his preflight.