Chapter 3: Airspace

Question 1

What are the two categories of airspace or airspace areas?

Answer 1

A) Regulatory (A, B, C, D, E, Restricted, and Prohibited Areas)
B) Non-regulatory (MOA, Warning, Alert, CFA, and NSA (National Security Area))

Question 2

Within the two categories of airspace, what are the four types?

Answer 2

A) Controlled
B) Uncontrolled
C) Special Use
D) Other

Question 3

When operating in Class C airspace that overlaps with class E, what rules apply?

Answer 3

Class C Rules apply. The rules governing the more restrictive airspace always apply.

Question 4

If the ceiling at an airport is less than 1,000 feet, can you operate their VFR?

Answer 4

Except as provided in 14 CFR Section 91.157, Special VFR Weather Minimums, no person may operate an aircraft beneath the ceiling under VFR within the lateral boundaries of controlled airspace designated to the surface for an airport when the ceiling is less than 1,000 feet.

Question 5

What are the VFR cruising altitudes when flying on with a magnetic course (ground track) clockwise between 0-179 degrees? What about when flying from 180-359 degrees? At what altitudes do these rules apply?

Answer 5

A) Odd altitudes plus 500 feet
B) Even altitudes plus 500 feet
C) Above 3,000 feet above the earth surface

Question 6

When flying VFR, but receiving ATC radar advisories, whose responsibility is it to ensure that ATC clearance or radio communication requirements are met prior to entry into Class B, Class C, or Class D airspace?

Answer 6

The pilot retains this responsibility when receiving ATC radar advisories

Question 7

What are the dimensions and rules for operating in Class A airspace?

Answer 7

A) Generally, that airspace from 18,000 feet MSL up to and including FL 600, including the airspace overlying the waters within 12 nautical miles off the coast of the 48 contiguous States and Alaska.
B) Unless otherwise authorized, all persons must operate their aircraft under IFR.

Question 8

What are the dimensions of Class B airspace? What determines how the airspace is spread laterally?

Answer 8

A) Generally, that airspace from the surface to 10,000 feet MSL surrounding the nation’s busiest airports in terms of IFR operations or passenger enplanements. The configuration of each Class B airspace area is individually tailored and consists of a surface area and two or more layers.
B) It is designed to contain all published instrument procedures once an aircraft enters the airspace.

Question 9

What are the rules for entering Class B Airspace? Do you need a clearance to depart VFR from Class B?

Answer 9

A) Rules:
1) Regardless of weather conditions, an ATC clearance is required prior to operating within Class B airspace.
2) Two‐way radio capable of communications with ATC on appropriate frequencies for that area; and
3) An operable radar beacon transponder with automatic altitude reporting capability and operable ADS-B Out equipment.
4) For IFR operations, an operable VOR or TACAN receiver or an operable and suitable RNAV system
B) Yes

Question 10

What are the dimensions of Class C airspace?

Answer 10

Although the configuration of each Class C airspace area is individually tailored, the airspace usually consists of a 5 NM radius core surface area that extends from the surface up to 4,000 feet above the airport elevation, and a 10 NM radius shelf area that extends no lower than 1,200 feet up to 4,000 feet above the airport elevation.

Question 11

What are the rules for entering Class C Airspace? Do you need a clearance to depart VFR from Class C?

Answer 11

A) Equipment.

1) Two‐way radio; and

2) Unless otherwise authorized by ATC, an operable radar beacon transponder with automatic altitude reporting capability and operable ADS-B Out equipment.

B) Arrival or Through Flight Entry Requirements. Two‐way radio communication must be established with the ATC facility providing ATC services prior to entry and thereafter maintain those communications while in Class C airspace.

Question 12

If you are attempting to gain two-way radio communications with a Class C controlling agency and they respond but not with your call-sign, have you gained two-way radio communications? What about if they respond with your call-sign and tell you to “standby”?

Answer 12

A) No, as such you are not clear to enter the Class C Airspace

B) Yes, you are clear to enter the Class C Airspace unless specifically told to “remain outside Class C Airspace”

Question 13

Aircraft departing secondary controlled airports within/beneath Class C Airspace will not receive Class C services until what two things have happened?

Answer 13

radar identified and two‐way communications have been established with the Class C airspace facility

Question 14

Why are prohibited areas established?

Answer 14

Prohibited areas are established for security or other reasons associated with the national welfare.

Question 15

What do restricted areas denote?

Answer 15

Restricted areas denote the existence of unusual, often invisible, hazards to aircraft such as artillery firing, aerial gunnery, or guided missiles

Question 16

Where are warning areas located and what do they denote?

Answer 16

A warning area is airspace of defined dimensions, extending from three nautical miles outward from the coast of the U.S., that contains activity that may be hazardous to nonparticipating aircraft

Question 17

Why are MOAs established?

Answer 17

MOAs established for the purpose of separating certain military training activities from IFR traffic. Whenever a MOA is being used, nonparticipating IFR traffic may be cleared through a MOA if IFR separation can be provided by ATC. Otherwise, ATC will reroute or restrict nonparticipating IFR traffic.

Question 18

What are alert areas?

Answer 18

Alert areas are depicted on aeronautical charts to inform nonparticipating pilots of areas that may contain a high volume of pilot training or an unusual type of aerial activity.

Question 19

What is the difference between a restricted area and a CFA?

Answer 19

The distinguishing feature of the CFA, as compared to other special use airspace, is that its activities are suspended immediately when spotter aircraft, radar, or ground lookout positions indicate an aircraft might be approaching the area. There is no need to chart CFAs since they do not cause a nonparticipating aircraft to change its flight path.

Question 20

Are you allowed to fly through a NSA?

Answer 20

Pilots are requested to voluntarily avoid flying through the depicted NSA. When it is necessary to provide a greater level of security and safety, flight in NSAs may be temporarily prohibited.

Question 21

If there was a natural disaster and the FAA was to protect and area in support of disaster relief, what kind of airspace would that be? Is that special use airspace or other?

Answer 21

A) TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction)
B) Other

Question 22

For Parachute Jump Aircraft Operations, is that just a NOTAM or is it a kind of airspace? What should pilots conduct these operations broadcast on CTAF?

Answer 22

A) It is a kind of “Other Airspace”
B) Prior to commencing a jump operation, the pilot should broadcast the aircraft’s MSL altitude or FL and position in relation to the airport, the approximate relative time when the jump will commence and terminate, and listen to the position reports of other aircraft in the area.

Question 23

What are the 3 names for published VFR routes? And what are they all used for?

Answer 23

A) 3 Names
1) VFR Flyaway
2) VFR Cooridor
3) Class B Airspace VFR Transition Routes
B) Published VFR routes are for transitioning around, under and through complex airspace such as Class B airspace

Question 24

What is a VFR Flyaway? Do you need an ATC clearance to fly a VFR Flyaway?

Answer 24

A) A VFR Flyway is defined as a general flight path not defined as a specific course, for use by pilots in planning flights into, out of, through or near complex terminal airspace to avoid Class B airspace.

B) An ATC clearance is NOT required to fly these routes.

Question 25

What is a VFR Corridor?

Answer 25

A VFR corridor is defined as airspace through Class B airspace, with defined vertical and lateral boundaries, in which aircraft may operate without an ATC clearance or communication with air traffic control.

Question 26

What is a Class B Airspace VFR Transition Route? How is it different from a VFR Corridor?

Answer 26

A) A Class B Airspace VFR Transition Route is defined as a specific flight course depicted on a TAC for transiting a specific Class B airspace.

B) Unlike VFR Corridors which are protected holes through Class B Airspace, these routes include specific ATC‐assigned altitudes, and pilots must obtain an ATC clearance prior to entering Class B airspace on the route.

Question 27

What is a TRSA? Is it regulatory?

Answer 27

A) A TRSA is a Terminal Radar Service Area that provides pilots with radar services from a primary Class D airport(s). The remaining portion of the TRSA overlies other controlled airspace which is normally Class E airspace beginning at 700 or 1,200 feet and established to transition to/from the en route/terminal environment.

B) No, TRSAs were never controlled airspace from a regulatory standpoint because the establishment of TRSAs was never subject to the rulemaking process

Question 28

What is does SATR and SFRA stand for? What do they mean? How do you know when there is one?

Answer 28

A) Special Air Traffic Rules and Special Flight Rules Area?

B) These indicate areas in which flight is subject to rules put forth in 14 CFR Part 93. Each person operating an aircraft to, from, or within airspace designated as a SATR area or SFRA must adhere to the special air traffic rules set forth in 14 CFR Part 93, as applicable, unless otherwise authorized or required by ATC.

C) SFRAs are depicted on VFR sectional, terminal area, and helicopter route charts