1. Lesson 4: Airspace Ace – Alphabet Soup
Prof. H. Paul Shuch, Ph.D., CFII
LSRM-A/GL/WSC/PPC, iRMT Heavy
Chief Flight Instructor, Director of Maintenance
AvSport of Lock Haven
FAA Safety Team Lead Representative
Piper Memorial Airport, Lock Haven PA
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2. A FAASTeam WINGS Award Seminar
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3. Brought to you by: Wings of Williamsport Piper Memorial Airport
AvSport of Lock Haven
Your FAA Safety Team
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4. OBJECTIVES: Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will:
Identify Class A, B, C, D, E, and G airspace
Know when and how to operate in each class
Properly equip your aircraft for a given class
Demonstrate appropriate ATC communications
Avoid inadvertent airspace incursions
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5. IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS: Positive Control Airspace Terminal Control Area
Airport Radar Service Area
Airport Traffic Area
Uncontrolled Airspace
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6. NOW IT’S ALPHABET SOUP:
Class Alpha
Class Bravo
Class Charlie
Class Delta
Class Echo
Class Golf
(Most to Least Restrictive)
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7. BLAME IT ON ICAO
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8. (Still Ordered Most to Least Restrictive)
14 CFR Part 71
Subpart A: Class Alpha airspace
Subpart B: Class Bravo airspace
Subpart C: Class Charlie airspace
Subpart D: Class Delta airspace
Subpart E: Class Echo airspace
Subpart G: Class Golf airspace
(Still Ordered Most to Least Restrictive)
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9. Quiz Time!
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10. Class Alpha Class Charlie Class Delta Class Foxtrot Class Golf
Which of these designations represents the least restrictive FAR 71 airspace?
Class Alpha
Class Charlie
Class Delta
Class Foxtrot
Class Golf
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11. (OK, I admit, that was a trick question!)
Which of these designations represents the least restrictive FAR 71 airspace?
Class Alpha
Class Charlie
Class Delta
Class Foxtrot
Class Golf
(OK, I admit, that was a trick question!)
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13. Class Alpha Airspace Depiction (nonexistent!)
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15. Class Bravo Airspace Depiction
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16. Class Bravo Airspace Geometry
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17. “Inverted Wedding Cake”
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18. Class Charlie Airspace Depiction
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19. Class Charlie Airspace Geometry
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20. “Bundt Cake”
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21. Terminal Radar Service Areas
A carryover from the Good Old Days
Provide radar service to IFR and limited VFR
Like Class Charlie but VFR participation optional
Most have been replaced by Class Charlie
They are charted (gray circles)
Not an ICAO airspace designation
Not covered in FAR 71
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22. TRSA Depiction
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23. Airport Radar Service Areas
Like a TRSA; VFR participation still optional
Sometimes used around Class D with radar
Are supposed to replace the old TRSA
Not an ICAO airspace designation
Not covered in FAR 71
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24. Class Delta Airspace Depiction
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25. Class Delta Airspace Geometry
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26. “Stack of Panckes”
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27. Class Echo Airspace Depiction (beginning at surface)
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28. Class Echo Airspace Depiction (beginning 700 feet above surface)
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29. Class Echo Airspace Depiction (beginning 1200 feet above surface)
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30. Class Echo Airspace Geometry
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32. “Cored Apple”
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33. Class Golf Airspace Geometry
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34. Class Golf Airspace Depiction
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35. “Hockey Puck”
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36. THE SECRET DECODER RING
Class Alpha – Above
Class Bravo – Busiest
Class Charlie – Congested
Class Delta – Directed
Class Echo – Everybody
Class Golf – Ground level
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37. Another Question
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38. Which airspace is not depicted on sectional aeronautical charts?
Class A
Class B
Class C
Class D
Class E
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39. Which airspace is not depicted on sectional aeronautical charts?
Class A
Class B
Class C
Class D
Class E
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42. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
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44. PILOT CERTIFICATE OR RATING
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45. (or Sport Pilot with endorsement!)
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46. ALTITUDE REPORTING TRANSPONDER
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48. Transponder Types Mode A - Location (distance & bearing)
Mode C - Location, Altitude
Mode S - Location, Altitude, ID
Extended Squitter - precise location from WAAS GPS
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49. I know this one!
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50. Class B Class D Class C Class A They all do
Penetrating which airspace always requires an IFR clearance and rating?
Class B
Class D
Class C
Class A
They all do
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51. Class B Class D Class C Class A They all do
Penetrating which airspace always requires an IFR clearance and rating?
Class B
Class D
Class C
Class A
They all do
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52. TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION
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54. But just what constitutes 2-way radio communication?
If IFR, “cleared to” with route, altitude
If VFR in Class B or C, “cleared into”
In Class D, your callsign read back to you
“Aircraft stand by” is not radio communication
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55. MINIMUM VFR VISIBILITY
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57. NOTE 1: flight visibility is always given in Statute
(not nautical) Miles
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58. VFR CLOUD CLEARANCE
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60. Visual mnemonic courtesy Rod Machado
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61. NOTE 2: UAS must always have 3 miles minimum flight visibility
(regardless of airspace)
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62. NOTE 3: Currently, UAS may not operate above clouds
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63. Doh!
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64. Which airspace does not normally require radio communication?
Class D
Class B
Class G
Class C
Class A
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65. Which airspace does not normally require radio communication?
Class D
Class B
Class G
Class C
Class A
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66. A FEW CLOSING THOUGHTS
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67. What About Temporary Flight Restrictions?
May not be charted
Can pop up without warning
May constitute prohibited or restricted areas
Check with FSS before you launch
Check with a TRACON or ARTCC enroute
VFR Flight Following will not necessarily avoid
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68. If in doubt, check with ATC
We haven’t touched on:
Military Operations Areas
Restricted Areas
Prohibited Areas
Alert Areas
Etc.
If in doubt, check with ATC
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69. Final Question!
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70. In which airspace may a UAS request Special VFR operation?
Class A
Class B
Class C
Class D
None of the above
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71. In which airspace may a UAS request Special VFR operation?
Class A
Class B
Class C
Class D
None of the above
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72. Presentation Copyright © 2016

73. EAA.ORG/WEBINARS
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74. Drone-Training.org/ppt
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