What type of airspace must Aero ARTCC protect until advised by Jackson ATCT?

The correct choice is related to the specific responsibilities of air traffic control facilities. In aviation, different types of airspace are managed by various control centers responsible for providing safe and efficient air traffic management.

Holding pattern airspace is critical because it involves aircraft that are circling in a set pattern while awaiting further instructions, often related to their imminent landing. The Aero ARTCC, which oversees a larger sector of airspace, must protect this area to ensure that aircraft maintain safe distances from one another, especially during busy times or when adverse conditions affect normal operations. This protection continues until the Jackson ATCT, which operates at a terminal level and has closer proximity to arriving aircraft, provides updated instructions or reassures the ARTCC that the situation is being managed appropriately.

Other types of airspace—such as departure airspace, approach corridors, or landing strips—do not capture the same emphasis on protection until the advisory is received from ATCT. Each serves its own purpose but lacks the specific safety oversight characteristic of holding pattern airspace, which can directly impact the safe management of multiple aircraft in a confined area. Therefore, holding pattern airspace is uniquely critical in this scenario, explaining why it's the correct response.