Airspace Review AR 95-1 FM 1-240 AIM

Q. What are the lateral dimensions of Class A Airspace? A. Class A airspace lies over the 48 contiguous states and Alaska, including airspace overlying waters within 12 NM of the coast.

Q. What are the vertical dimensions of Class A Airspace? A. Class A airspace vertical limits are 18,000 feet MSL to FL 600. In Alaska, excludes airspace below 1500 AGL.

Q. What type of flying operations are permitted in Class A Airspace? A. Only IFR operations are permitted in Class A airspace. VFR is not permitted.

Class A Airspace

Q. What are the lateral dimensions of Class B Airspace? A. The lateral boundaries of Class B airspace are individually tailored. There are no special dimensions. The airspace consists of at least 2 layers (looks like an upside down wedding cake).

Q. What are the vertical dimensions of Class B Airspace? A. Class B airspace extends from the surface to generally 10,000 feet MSL. Each layer has its own defined vertical limit.

Q. What are the minimum cloud and visibility requirements within Class B Airspace? A. Minimum weather requirements for Class B Airspace are: Distance from clouds = Clear of Clouds. Minimum Visibility = 3 SM

Q. What are Class B Airspace communications requirements? A. Must have positive ATC clearance prior to entry or departure from airspace. For IFR operations, must have VOR or TACAN.

Q. What is the Class B Airspace transponder requirement? A. Aircraft must have a transponder with Mode - C.

Q. What is the Mode - C veil? A. The mode-C Veil is the airspace within 30 NM of the Class B airport in which a transponder with Mode-C is required. Active from surface to 10,000 feet MSL. The Veil is denoted on VFR charts by a thin blue line.

Q. How is Class B airspace charted on a VFR sectional map? A. Class B airspace is charted on a VFR sectional by a series of blue circles.

Class B Airspace

Q. What are the lateral dimensions of Class C Airspace? A. Class C airspace has 2 circles centered on the airport: The inner circle has a radius of 5 NM The outer circle has a radius of 10 NM

Q. What are the vertical dimensions of Class C Airspace? A. The inner circle starts at the surface up to 4000 Feet AGL The outer circle starts at 1200 Feet AGL up to 4000 Feet AGL

Q. What are the minimum cloud and visibility requirements within Class C Airspace? A. Minimum weather requirements for Class C Airspace are: Distance from clouds = 500 Ft below, 1000 Ft above, 2000 Ft horizontally. Minimum Visibility = 3 SM

Q. What are Class C Airspace communications requirements? A. You must establish communications with ATC prior to entry.

Q. What is the Class C Airspace transponder requirement? A. Aircraft must have a transponder with Mode - C within and above all Class C airspace, up to 10,000 Ft MSL.

Q. How is Class C airspace charted on a VFR sectional map? A. Class C airspace is charted on a VFR sectional by two magenta circles.

Class C Airspace

Q. What is the outer area of Class C airspace? A. The outer area is not part of Class C airspace. The outer area has a radius of 20 NM from the airport. It starts at the lower limit of radio/radar coverage and goes up to the upper limit of Approach Control’s delegated airspace.

Q. What are the lateral dimensions of Class D Airspace? A. Class D airspace is normally a 5 SM radius from the airport. Some airports may have extensions protruding from the circle.

Q. What are the vertical dimensions of Class D Airspace? A. Class D airspace extends from the surface up to 2500 Ft AGL.

Q. What are the minimum cloud and visibility requirements within Class D Airspace? A. Minimum weather requirements for Class D Airspace are: Distance from clouds = 500 Ft below, 1000 Ft above, 2000 Ft horizontally. Minimum Visibility = 3 SM

Q. What are Class D Airspace communications requirements? A. You must establish communication with ATC prior to entering Class D airspace.

Q. What is the Class D Airspace transponder requirement? A. Class D airspace has no transponder requirement.

Q. What are the extensions protruding from Class D airspace? A. Extensions are used for instrument approaches. If the extension is 2 NM or less, it is Class D airspace. If any one extension is greater than 2 NM, then all of the extensions are Class E airspace.

Q. How is Class D airspace charted on a VFR sectional map? A. Class D airspace is charted on a VFR sectional by a blue dashed circle.

Class D Airspace

Q. What is the definition of Class E airspace? A. Class E airspace is all controlled airspace that is not classified as Class A, B, C, or D airspace

Q. What are the minimum cloud and visibility requirements within Class E Airspace? A. Minimum weather requirements for Class E Airspace are: Below 10,000 Ft. MSL: Distance from clouds = 500 Ft below, 1000 Ft above, 2000 Ft horizontally. Minimum Visibility = 3 SM 10,000 Ft. MSL or Above: Distance from clouds = 1000 Ft below, 1000 Ft above, 1 SM horizontally. Minimum Visibility = 5 SM

Q. How is Class E airspace, at non-towered airports, charted on a VFR sectional map? A. Non-towered Class airports are charted on a VFR sectional by a dashed magenta lined circle. Extensions are charted with magenta dashed lines

Surfaced-based Class E Airspace

Q. What are Class E Airspace communications requirements? A. There are no communications requirements to operate within Class E airspace

Q. What is the Class E Airspace transponder requirement? A. Class E airspace has no transponder requirement.

Q. If there is no Class E airspace designated otherwise, where does Class E airspace start? A. Unless designated at a lower altitude, Class E airspace begins at 14,500 Ft MSL up to 18,000 MSL only over the 48 contiguous States and Alaska.

Class E Airspace

Q. What are Class E transition areas and what altitudes do they start at? A. Class E airspace that is used to transition to/from the terminal or enroute environment is called a transition area. A fading magenta color on a VFR sectional denotes a transition area starting at 700 Ft AGL. A fading blue color on a VFR sectional denotes a transition area starting at 1200 Ft AGL. However, the blue color is not shown unless it abuts uncontrolled Class G airspace.

Q. What type of airspace are Federal airways Q. What type of airspace are Federal airways? What are the vertical limits of Federal airways? A. Federal airways are Class E airspace. They start at 1200 Ft AGL up to but not including 18,000 Ft MSL.

Q. What is the width of a VOR airway? A. The width of a VOR airway is 8 NM, 4 NM either side of centerline. This is only true within 51 NM of the VOR. After 51 NM, the airway expands about 2 NM for every 13 NM increase in length.

Victor Airway

Q. What are TRSA’s ? A. A terminal radar service area is airspace where a pilot can receive radar services to transition to/from the airport that has the TRSA. Pilot participation of the radar usage within a TRSA is voluntary, but highly encouraged.

TRSA

Q. What type of airspace is Class G? A. Class G airspace is uncontrolled airspace.

Q. What are the Army VFR weather minimums in Class G airspace at or below 1200 feet? A. Day: Clear of Clouds;Visibility-1/2 SM Night: Clear of Clouds;Visibility- 1 SM

Q. What are the Army VFR weather minimums in Class G airspace above 1200 feet? A. Less than 10,000 Ft MSL: 500 Ft below, 1000 Ft above, 2000 Ft horizontal;Visibility-1 SM Day/3 Night At or greater than 10,000 Ft MSL 1000 Ft below, 1000 Ft above, 1 SM horizontal;Visibility-5 SM (Day & Night)

Q. IF planning an IFR flight through Class G airspace, what are the altitude considerations? A. When planning through uncontrolled airspace, aircraft must remain 1000 Ft above the highest obstacle in flat terrain and 2000 Ft in mountainous terrain within 4 NM of the course to be flown.

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