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4 Answers

Class E airspace vs Class G clarification please

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Airspace

I have been reviewing airspace and weather mins and came up with a slight confusion. Please do not answer without reviewing the following description... I have reviewed many sources and all say that Class E starts at 700 agl within those magenta faded circles and outside those it starts at 12oo agl. However, Class G can supposedly extend up to 14, 500 (starting at 14,500MSL you're into Class E again). When I look at Sectionals covering the United States, it would seem that there are very few areas (mainly out west) where you can find some Class G airspace that gives you that much vertical height for Class G airspace. Back east, for instance, you ain't gonna find those carve outs. I think part of my confusion has been that the magenta areas fade toward the inside of those 700 agl areas while the blue shaded areas seem to fade toward the outside, which therefor depicts the Class G on the inside of these areas. AM I UNDERSTANDING THIS CORRECTLY???

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4 Answers



  1. John D Collins on Aug 27, 2014

    The fading is towards the lower of the two bases of the class E. So magenta has 700 AGL and 1200 AGL joined together and the blue joins the 1200 AGL and the 14500 or other specified value together. The fading is always towards the lower area.

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  2. David Eberhardt on Aug 31, 2014

    Thanks John. I noticed on the sectionals (out west) that the blue areas fade to the outside (magenta areas fade toward the inside). Out west you have some Class G areas that extend up to 14,500 MSL but there aren’t a lot of them. They seem to be like isolated, high rise office buildings (as an analogy of sorts). I also look at the sectional legend a little more closely for an explanation of these areas and found that instructive. Basically, there is very little Class G airspace above either 700 or 1200 AGL when you are east of the MIssissippi and out west, there isn’t a whole lot more either. Rod Machado describes Class G airspace as “a tiny sliver of airspace whose rules are thicker than its depth” (Rod Machado’s Private Pilot Handbook, 2nd Edition, 2008). For all the talk of Class G airspace and the somewhat complicated VFR weather req’s, Class G seems much ado bout nothin. The visability reqs are very low for Class G but I would question the judgement of someone taking of in 1 mile vis if they are VFR pilot.

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  3. Mark Kolber on Aug 31, 2014

    David,

    Many pilots have successfully taken off and flown in Class G airspace with low visibility. I think the two keys to understanding these rules is that (1) their goal is to separate IFR and VFR traffic and (2) they were not created in 2014 (I know, that’s obvious but it really is the key).

    Once upon a time, all airspace was uncontrolled. As time when on, and air traffic increased, segments were carved out of the uncontrolled airspace for various types of increasingly controlled areas. Even the sectional chart descriptions changed through the years and the amount of controlled airspace above 1200 AGL increased. As I recall, a recently as 25 years ago, even the eastern sectional charts showed the blue shade; then the FAA decided there was so little left, it made more sense for the charts to start with controlled airspace above 1200 AGL as the default, with only those that were different being depicted.

    I don’t know where you fly, David but visibility judgment can be a localized thing. In most of the US, 5-7 miles visibility is considered good VFR; in the mountain west and souhwest, where standard visibility is in the 50-100+ mile range, one might well question the judgment of those who fly VFR with visibility anywhere below 10.

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  4. David Eberhardt on Aug 31, 2014

    Mark, your historical perspective on airspace development over time is enlightening. One thing I appreciate about civilian flying is that the regulations are, for the most part, not overly restrictive (in my humble opinion). I got my private license in 1981 and really haven’t seen too many changes since then. On the other hand, I flew in the USAF beginning in the early 80’s and rules and regulations and sops grew like wild weeds on an abandoned property. As far as visibility stuff, I fly out of Groton CT these days. Fog is a problem occasionally but overall, vis is pretty decent around here as well as New York State, Long Island. I stand by my comment that 1 mile vis is not good VFR flying. Personally, I prefer at least 5 miles and even then, the trip is not especially enjoyable since you can’t enjoy the view. If the vis is 3 miles and I have to ferry one of our instructors to a nearby airport to pick up a plane from maintenance then it will do.

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