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2 Answers

Around, Under, or Over Class C for Short Cross Country

Asked by: 1240 views Airspace, General Aviation, Private Pilot

I am a relatively low time private pilot and would like some advice. I know the "Right" (legal) answer would be any of the three options, but I think the most convenient for everyone involved is a little more complicated.

I am planning a short cross country in a C172, 54nm, from M54 (Lebanon Muni) to M02 (Dickson Muni), which direct routing takes me through BNA Class C airspace.

First off, I am planning on getting flight following either way. I don't have much experience with flight following, so I guess my first question is if I were to ask flight following which they would prefer, would they give me their preferred routing based on BNA traffic?

That notwithstanding, I can plan on going under the outer shelf (Not a good idea, because two class D airports are under the shelf on either side, so I would end up going around to avoid them anyways.

I can go around the north side, but depending on my altitude, there may be arrivals or departures coming out of BNA to the north (especially if I am cruising at 4500 just outside of the airspace). Or, I can take some extra time on the east side and plan to climb above the class c to say, 5000 feet and go over. However, I don't think climbing to 6500 for this short cross country to get above and to the next westerly vfr altitude would be necessary.

All of the options would work, but what would you do?

(For anyone who wants to think that deeply into it, winds should be out of the north, so I will likely be departing runway 1 and landing 35, and vice versa on the way back.)

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2 Answers



  1. Bryan on Nov 10, 2022

    It’s good to get flight following but you have to remember what flight following is–and isn’t. Flight following gets you Radar Traffic Information Service (AIM 4-1-15). Navigation is still 100% up to you except that…when you take off you will contact Nashville Approach on 118.4 to get the flight following. Instead of Class E traffic advisory services, you will basically have Class C VFR separation services right away. The particulars of that are outlined in AIM 3-2-4 d and e which provides sequencing to the primary airport (BNA) and VFR separation from IFR traffic. So they may give you a heading or altitude (or both) through the Class C in order to keep that separation. They may also just give general guidance such as “remain south of BNA at or above X,000 feet.

    Going around (something like M54 HUSKO M02) is also a perfectly valid option that only adds 2 minutes to the flight. While I understand your observation that there may be arrivals/departures on the north side, I would suggest that you are worrying about something that is not your responsibility to worry about. Your responsibility is to see and avoid other aircraft. There is no obligation for you to not go where other aircraft might be. Just be smart about it. This Class C ceiling is 4,600. Most airliners leaving BNA will be well above that before they get to the outer boundary of the Class C.

    As for going under the outer shelf, that is the one option I would not do. I’m too close to the ground over a pretty densely populated area dodging Class D airspace (and TFR’s for this weekend’s Tennessee State game)…it’s a lot of work with more risk by a long shot compared to the other two options.

    If it were me, I would contact approach and follow their instructions. Worst case scenario, they’re too busy and can’t handle you so you go around to the north for 2 extra minutes on your flight.

    Happy flying!

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  2. Russ Roslewski on Nov 10, 2022

    If it was me, I’d take off, turn west direct to my destination, call approach control while climbing to 2500, 3500, 4500 etc. (whatever I planned), and let them tell me if they want something different for altitude or routing. That’s their job.

    In my experience at other Class C airports, they may very well tell you to proceed direct BNA then on course – meaning they want you directly over BNA since logically, no departures from BNA will be at 2500/3500/4500 directly over the airport.

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