Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

6 Answers

Like class B, do you need class C clearance if on flight following?

Asked by: 1900 views Airspace

Like class B, do you need ATC class C clearance if on flight following?

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

6 Answers



  1. ayavner on Oct 18, 2018

    Well you need a transponder and to establish 2 way comms with the class C controlling entity. I’ve not had a chance to do this on flight following since most the airports out here are class D, but I believe if you are going “to” the class C airport, they will hand you off to that tower. If you are going “through” or “over” that airspace, I would confirm with ATC whether they can arrange clearance or just let them know you are going to switch frequencies briefly. In any case, I don’t think its a given. Unlike IFR, there is no requirement to stay on the ATC frequency in flight following – worst case if they can’t reach you they will terminate services.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  2. ayavner on Oct 18, 2018

    I should have specified above, because someone is bound to point it out, a mode C transponder 🙂

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  3. KDS on Oct 19, 2018

    “worst case if they can’t reach you they will terminate services.”

    Read 6-2-6 f 1 (a) in the Aeronautical Information Manual, which states: Radar facilities providing radar flight following or advisories consider the loss of radar and radios, without service termination notice, to be a possible emergency. Pilots receiving VFR services from radar facilities should be aware that SAR may be initiated under these circumstances.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  4. ayavner on Oct 19, 2018

    Interesting – thought that was only if you were on a flight plan. Learn something new every day.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  5. KDS on Oct 19, 2018

    It gets worse when you get to be my age and you not only learn something new every day but you also have to re-learn something old too.

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  6. John Scarry on Nov 02, 2018

    You don’t need to hear the magic words, “Cleared through the Class C”. If you are on flight following, and low enough to enter Class C airspace you will be handed off to the Class C approach control when you reach their airspace. Because you are talking to the ATC facility that handles that airspace, you have satisfied the regulation.

    §91.130 Operations in Class C airspace. (c) (1) Arrival or through flight. Each person must establish two-way radio communications with the ATC facility… providing air traffic services prior to entering that airspace and thereafter maintain those communications while within that airspace.

    Even if you do not enter their airspace, the approach facility will often handle traffic above and around their airspace.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.