Flight Training - August 2013 - 46

TECHNIQUE

AIRSPACE

Making sense of the sky
» By Ian J. Twombly

ILLUSTRATION BY CHARLES FLOYD

LEARNING AND UNDERSTANDING the various classifications of airspace can be daunting.
Sectional charts do a fine job of directly describing the lateral boundaries, but determining
the vertical limits is an indirect process.
Boundaries are only the beginning, however. Knowing whether or not you are allowed to fly
in the airspace is another. The National Airspace System exists as a way for air traffic control
to separate traffic, which gives a bit of insight into the requirements. As the amount of traffic
in the airspace increases, so too do the requirements—usually. It comes down to four factors—
what training, operational, and equipment requirements must be met in order to enter, and
then what weather requirements must be respected to operate legally.

2,700 ft
Surface
Nashua Class D
2,600 ft
Surface
New Bedford Class D

CLASS A
Training: Instrument rating
Equipment: Approved for instrument flight
Operational: Instrument flight plan, unless
otherwise authorized
Weather: Not applicable
• Starts at 18,000 feet mean sea level up to and
including FL600
CLASS B
Training: Private pilot certificate, or a recreational, sport, or student pilot certificate with
specific training and an endorsement
Equipment: Two-way radio and Mode C transponder (inside the Mode C veil)
46 /

FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG

Operational: Air traffic control clearance
Weather: Clear of clouds
• Visibility: Three statute miles
CLASS C
Training: At least a student pilot certificate for
solo flight
Equipment: Two-way radio and Mode C
transponder
Operational: Two-way radio communication
prior to entering
Weather: Clouds 500 feet below; 1,000 feet
above; 2,000 feet horizontally
• Visibility: Three statute miles

CLASS D
Training: At least a student pilot certificate for
solo flight
Equipment: Two-way radio
Operational: Two-way radio communication
prior to entering
Weather: Clouds 500 feet below; 1,000 feet
above; 2,000 feet horizontally
• Visibility: Three statute miles
CLASS E
Training: At least a student pilot certificate for
solo flight
Equipment: None
Operational: None


http://FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG

Flight Training - August 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - August 2013

Flight Training - August 2013
Contents
Member Benefits
Right Seat
Centerline
Letters
Best of Both Worlds
Success Story AOPA Summit
How It Works
News
After the Checkride
News Tech Tip
Training Products
Final Exam
News
Flight Training Excellence Award Winner
ASI News
Flying Carpet
Accident Report
Flight Lesson
Birth of the Boom
Back in the Hood
Slow Down
Technique
Weather
Backseat Flying
Career Advisor
Tech Talk
The Post-Colgan World
Surprising Similarities
Kindness but Not Weakness
Advertiser Index
Debrief
Flight Training - August 2013 - Flight Training - August 2013
Flight Training - August 2013 - Cover2
Flight Training - August 2013 - Contents
Flight Training - August 2013 - 2
Flight Training - August 2013 - 3
Flight Training - August 2013 - Member Benefits
Flight Training - August 2013 - 5
Flight Training - August 2013 - Right Seat
Flight Training - August 2013 - 7
Flight Training - August 2013 - Centerline
Flight Training - August 2013 - 9
Flight Training - August 2013 - Letters
Flight Training - August 2013 - 11
Flight Training - August 2013 - Best of Both Worlds
Flight Training - August 2013 - 13
Flight Training - August 2013 - Success Story AOPA Summit
Flight Training - August 2013 - How It Works
Flight Training - August 2013 - News
Flight Training - August 2013 - After the Checkride
Flight Training - August 2013 - News Tech Tip
Flight Training - August 2013 - Training Products
Flight Training - August 2013 - Final Exam
Flight Training - August 2013 - News
Flight Training - August 2013 - Flight Training Excellence Award Winner
Flight Training - August 2013 - ASI News
Flight Training - August 2013 - 24
Flight Training - August 2013 - 25
Flight Training - August 2013 - Flying Carpet
Flight Training - August 2013 - 27
Flight Training - August 2013 - Accident Report
Flight Training - August 2013 - 29
Flight Training - August 2013 - Flight Lesson
Flight Training - August 2013 - 31
Flight Training - August 2013 - Birth of the Boom
Flight Training - August 2013 - 33
Flight Training - August 2013 - 34
Flight Training - August 2013 - 35
Flight Training - August 2013 - 36
Flight Training - August 2013 - 37
Flight Training - August 2013 - Back in the Hood
Flight Training - August 2013 - 39
Flight Training - August 2013 - 40
Flight Training - August 2013 - 41
Flight Training - August 2013 - Slow Down
Flight Training - August 2013 - 43
Flight Training - August 2013 - 44
Flight Training - August 2013 - 45
Flight Training - August 2013 - Technique
Flight Training - August 2013 - 47
Flight Training - August 2013 - Weather
Flight Training - August 2013 - 49
Flight Training - August 2013 - 50
Flight Training - August 2013 - Backseat Flying
Flight Training - August 2013 - Career Advisor
Flight Training - August 2013 - 53
Flight Training - August 2013 - Tech Talk
Flight Training - August 2013 - The Post-Colgan World
Flight Training - August 2013 - Surprising Similarities
Flight Training - August 2013 - Kindness but Not Weakness
Flight Training - August 2013 - Advertiser Index
Flight Training - August 2013 - 59
Flight Training - August 2013 - 60
Flight Training - August 2013 - 61
Flight Training - August 2013 - 62
Flight Training - August 2013 - 63
Flight Training - August 2013 - 64
Flight Training - August 2013 - 65
Flight Training - August 2013 - 66
Flight Training - August 2013 - 67
Flight Training - August 2013 - 68
Flight Training - August 2013 - 69
Flight Training - August 2013 - 70
Flight Training - August 2013 - 71
Flight Training - August 2013 - Debrief
Flight Training - August 2013 - Cover3
Flight Training - August 2013 - Cover4
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