National Airspace System

Task K - National Airspace System Schedule: 90mins

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Description:  When we fly VFR, we cannot just go wherever we please. It is important that we understand the rules to each airspace so that we can fly safely for our own sake and the general public. 

 

Objective: To make the student understand the elements of the national airspace. 

 

Elements 

 

1.Basic VFR weather minimums for all classes of airspace. 

 

2. Airspace classes - the operating rule, pilot's certification, and airplane equipment 

 

Dimensions, shape and extra information on each airspace 

1. Class A 

1. Vertically, Class Alpha begins at 18,000' MSL up to and including FL600 (about 60,000')

2. Includes airspace overlying the waters within 12 NM of the coast of the 48 contiguous states and Alaska

3.  all operations in Class A is conducted under instrument flight rules

4. All planes must be IFR equipped and with DME if flight over FL240

5. Must file a flight plan 

2. Class B (Busy)

1. Airspace from the surface to 10,000MSL around the busiest airports

2. class B airspace is individually tailored to the needs of a particular area iii. consists of a surface area and two or more layers 

3. All class B airports have a 30 NM mode C veil (ring) that requires all planes to have a mode C transponder when operating within this veil. 

4. Must hear “clear to enter class b airspace”

5. solid blue lines on sectional 

3. Class C 

1. YI surround airports having an operational control tower, serviced by a radar approach control, and with a certain number of IFR operations or passenger operations

2. extends from the surface to 4000 ft above the airport elevation

3. 5 NM radius extending from surface to 4000 feet above airport elevation

4. 10 NM radius 1200 to 4000 ft above airport elevation

5. Solid magenta on sectional

4. Class D

1. Surrounds relatively small airports with control towers 

2. 5-mile radius around airport iii.usually 2,500 feet tall or up to overlying airspace

3. Dashed blue in charts 

5. Controlled airspace that is not designated A, B, C, or D 

1. Up to 18,000 MSL

2. Class E airspace then is lowered as appropriate to certain areas 

1. This can be the surface, 700 ft, or 1200 ft 

2. This lowering of the airspace is usually in the interest of safety or to extend controlled airspace for IFR traffic, occurring in areas of high traffic

3. Above 10,000 ft, transponder required

4. Shaded blue, shaded magenta, or dash magenta or blue zipper. 

6. Class G uncontrolled airspace

1. Anywhere that has not been designated as class A, B, C, D, E

2. This occurs mostly from the surface to overlying class E airspace. 

3. However, one exception is class G that goes up to 14500 MSL is when they are on the hard side of thick shaded blue lines. 

1. An exception to this rule occurs when 14,500 MSL is lower than 1,500 AGL, in this event class G continues up to 1,500 above the surface. 

7. Special VFR 

1. 1 sm visibility

2. Clear of clouds

3. For night SVFR, the airplane has to be IFR equipped and the pilot has to be IFR rated

4. You can get SVFR into larger airports as well, like Class D, C, and even some B airports. However, many Class C and B airports don't allow SVFR - they're listed in FAR 91, Appendix D, Section 3.

5.  

 

 

3. Special use airspace 

1. Prohibited - Contain airspace of defined dimensions within which the flight of aircraft is prohibited. 

1. For national security or for national welfare. 

2. These areas are published in charts as a “P”.

3. Always blocked off from VFR traffic. 

4. More information of this airspace can be found on the charts. 

2. Restricted - Areas where operations are hazardous to nonparticipating aircraft.

1. Not wholly prohibited but subject to restrictions. 

2. Restricted areas denote the existence of unusual often invisible hazards to aircraft like artillery, aerial gunnery or missiles. 

3. More information of this airspace can be found on the charts. 

4. Charted by a “R” and a number following it. 

5. Must get clearance from controlling ATC  to enter if the area is active. 

6. If not active, then you can go in. 

3. Warning Areas 

1. Similar to restricted areas

2. Extends 3 NM outward from US coast. 

3. Activity that is hazardous to nonparticipating aircraft. 

4. Airspace designated with “W” followed by number. 

5. More information of this airspace can be found on the charts. 

4. Military operating areas

1. Airspace with defined vertical and lateral limits for separating certain military training activities from IFR traffic. 

2. They can be found on charts by their name. 

3. More information of this airspace can be found on the charts. 

5. Alert Areas

1. Depicted on charts with an “A”. 

2. High volume of pilot training or an unusual type of aerial activity. 

6. Controlled Firing Areas 

1. Not depicted on charts. 

2. Activities that if not conducted in a controlled environment can be dangerous. 

3. Activities within here will be halted if a spotter sees a plane. 

4. Usually small arms practice. 

4.Temporary flight restrictions 

1. Flight data center notice to airman is issued to designate 

2. The NOTAM begins with the phrase “FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS” followed by the location of the temporary restriction, effective time period, area defined in statute miles, and altitudes affected. 

3.  The NOTAM also contains the FAA coordination facility and telephone number, the reason for the restriction, and any other information deemed appropriate. 

4. Some of the reasons

1. Protect persons and property in the air or on the surface from an existing or imminent hazard. 

2.  Provide a safe environment for the operation of disaster relief aircraft. 

3.  Prevent an unsafe congestion of sightseeing aircraft above an incident or event, that may generate a high degree of public interest. 

4.  Protect declared national disasters for humanitarian reasons in the State of Hawaii.

5.  Protect the President, Vice President, or other public figures. 

1. VIP TFRs are normally set up as one or more rings of airspace, surrounding the VIP, which becomes active for a specific amount of time.

2. the TFR is usually comprised of an outer ring (usually 30 nautical miles, but sometimes slightly more or less) and one or more inner rings (usually 10 nautical miles, but sometimes 8, 9, or 10 nautical miles). 

3. The inner ring(s) constitute the most significant challenge to general and business aviation since they are almost always inaccessible to general aviation aircraft. 

4. The outer ring(s) are much less problematic for general and business aviation. Between this outer limit and the inner ring(s), GA aircraft are permitted as long as they are on IFR flight plans and in communication with air traffic control.

6.  Provide a safe environment for space agency operations.

 

5. Speed limits 

6. Mode C transponder 

 

1. In all controlled airspace, if you have an operable mode c transponder, you must turn it on. 

2. Operations within Class A, Class B, and Class C airspace.

3. Mode C veil 

4. Operations above the ceiling and within the lateral boundaries of Class B and C airspace.

5. Operations above 10,000 feet msl in the contiguous 48 states, excluding the airspace at and below 2,500 feet agl.

6. Above 10,000 Feet

7. no person may operate an aircraft into or out of the United States, or into, within, or across an ADIZ