Unless otherwise required by part 93 or unless otherwise authorized or required by the ATC facility having jurisdiction over the Class E airspace area, each person operating an aircraft on or in the vicinity of an airport in a Class E airspace area must comply with the requirements of FAR 91.126
Each pilot of an aircraft must comply with any traffic patterns established for that airport in part 93
Unless otherwise authorized or required by ATC, no person may operate an aircraft to, from, through, or on an airport having an operational control tower unless two-way radio communications are maintained between that aircraft and the control tower
Communications must be established prior to 4 NM from the airport, up to and including 2,500' AGL
If the aircraft radio fails in flight, the pilot in command may operate that aircraft and land if weather conditions are at or above basic VFR weather minimums, visual contact with the tower is maintained, and a clearance to land is received
The 48 contiguous States including the waters within 12 miles from the coast of the 48 contiguous States;
The District of Columbia;
Alaska, including the waters within 12 miles from the coast of Alaska;
Excluding the Alaska peninsula west of long 160°00'00''W, and the airspace below 1,500 feet above the surface of the earth unless specifically so designated
Vertical Limits:
Except when designed different in accordance with the functions of Class E Airspace (defined below), Class E airspace is that airspace extending upward from 14,500 feet MSL to, but not including, 18,000 feet MSL, excluding:
The airspace below 1,500 feet above the surface of the earth unless specifically designated lower (for example, in mountainous terrain higher than 13,000 feet MSL)
Class E begins again at 60,000' MSL and continues up to unlimited
Airspace Depiction:
Amazon, Sectional Charts
Class E airspace below 14,500 feet MSL is charted on the following charts:
Above 10,000' MSL: 5 SM visibility, 1,000' below, 1,000' above, 1 SM horizontal
Pilot Certification:
No specific certificate required
Equipment:
ADS-B Out Requirements
Unless otherwise authorized by ATC:
An operable radar beacon transponder with automatic altitude reporting capability and operable ADS-B Out equipment are required at and above 10,000 feet MSL within the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia, excluding the airspace at and below 2,500 feet above the surface, and
Operable ADS-B Out equipment at and above 3,000 feet MSL over the Gulf of Mexico from the coastline of the United States out to 12 nautical miles
The airspace described here is specified in 14 CFR 91.225 for ADS-B Out requirements. However, 14 CFR 91.215 does not include this airspace for transponder requirements
ADS-B Out Requirements
Arrival or Through Flight Entry Requirements:
ATC clearance for IFR, all require radio contact
Aircraft Separation:
Separation is provided for IFR, SVFR, and runway operations
VFR separation is not provided unless flight following is being used
Speed Restrictions:
250 knots below 10,000' MSL
Small Unmanned Aircraft Operations:
No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft within the lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport unless that person has prior authorization from Air Traffic Control (ATC)
No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft in a manner that interferes with operations and traffic patterns at any airport, heliport, or seaplane base
Functions of Class E Airspace:
Class E airspace can be tailored for specific purposes and remembered with the acronym "FEETSO 14-500:"
Airways are the primary means for routing aircraft operating under IFR
Federal airways are based on a centerline that extends from one navigational aid (NAVAID)/waypoint/fix/intersection to another NAVAID/waypoint/fix/intersection specified for that airway
A Federal airway includes the airspace within parallel boundary lines 4 NM to each side of the centerline
As in all instrument flight, courses are magnetic, and distances are in NM
The airspace of a Federal airway has a floor of 1,200' AGL, unless otherwise specified. A Federal airway does not include the airspace of a prohibited area
Federal airways and low-altitude RNAV routes are Class E airspace areas and, unless otherwise specified, extend upward from 1,200 feet AGL to, but not including,18,000 feet MSL
The airways are designated on sectional and IFR low altitude en route charts with the letter "V" followed by a number (e.g., "V23"). Typically, Victor airways are given odd numbers when oriented north/south and even numbers when oriented east/west
If more than one airway coincides on a route segment, the numbers are listed serially
Federal airways consist of Low/Medium Frequency (L/MF) airways (colored Federal airways) and VOR Federal airways
VOR and L/MF routes:
Victor Airways, 1200' up to, but not including, 18,000'
A segment that contains two or more routes carries the numbers of all airways which coincide
Inside of 50 NM, the width will extend 4 NM from centerline (8 NM wide)
Outside of 50 NM, the accuracy of NAVAIDs (4.5° tolerance) will determine the width of the airway
Must fly on centerline of an airway or a direct route between fixes
About 2 NM in total width for every 13 NM
L/MF airways are based on non-directional beacons (NDB) and are identified as green, red, amber, or blue
Colored airways:
L/MF navigation aids are depicted in amber
Green and red airways are plotted east and west
Amber and blue airways are plotted north and south
The VOR airways are classified as Domestic, Alaskan, and Hawaiian
Low-altitude RNAV routes consist of T-routes and helicopter RNAV routes (TK-routes)
The VOR airways are classified as Domestic, Alaskan, and Hawaiian
T-routes are available for use by RNAV equipped aircraft from 1,200' above the surface (or in some instances higher) up to, but not including, 18,000' MSL
T-routes are published on En-route Low Altitude Charts
Magnetic Reference Bearing (MRB) is the published bearing between two waypoints on the RNAV system
Calculated by applying magnetic variation at the waypoint to calculate true course between two-waypoints
Federal Airway
Extension to Surface Area:
Class E Extension to Surface Area
Class E airspace may be designated as extensions to Class B, Class C, Class D, and Class E surface areas
Class E airspace extensions begin at the surface and extend up to the overlying controlled airspace
The extensions provide controlled airspace to contain standard instrument approach procedures without imposing a communications requirement on pilots operating under VFR
Surface area arrival extensions become part of the surface area and are in effect during the same times as the surface area
In the example shown to the right, you see the Class echo extension connects with Class Delta airspace [Figure 2]
When a Class C or Class D surface area is not in effect continuously (for example, where a control tower only operates part-time), the surface area airspace will change to either a Class E surface area or Class G airspace. In such cases, the "Airspace" entry for the airport in the Chart Supplement U.S. will state "other times Class E" or "other times Class G." When a part-time surface area changes to Class E airspace, the Class E arrival extensions will remain in effect as Class E airspace. If a part–time Class C, Class D, or Class E surface area becomes Class G airspace, the arrival extensions will change to Class G at the same time
Class E Extension to Surface Area
En-route Domestic Area:
Echo airspace that extends upward from a specified altitude and are used for en-route domestic airspace areas to provide controlled airspace where there is a requirement to provide IFR en route ATC services but the Federal Airway does not exist and would be inadequate
Depicted on the outside of the transition area where Class Echo starts at 1,200' AGL
The lateral extend is identical to that of a federal airway
Transition Area:
Transition Area
Class E airspace areas may be designated for transitioning aircraft to/from the terminal or en route environment
Class E transition areas extend upward from either 700 feet AGL (shown as magenta vignette on sectional charts) or 1,200 feet AGL (blue vignette) and are designated for airports with an approved instrument procedure
The 700-foot/1200-foot AGL Class E airspace transition areas remain in effect continuously, regardless of airport operating hours or surface area status
Do not confuse the 700-foot and 1200-foot Class E transition areas with surface areas or surface area extensions
Transition Area
Surface Area Designated For An Airport:
Class E Surface Area
Class E surface areas extend upward from the surface to a designated altitude, or to the adjacent or overlying controlled airspace. The airspace will be configured to contain all instrument procedures
To qualify for a Class E surface area, the airport must have weather observation and reporting capability, and communications capability must exist with aircraft down to the runway surface
A Class E surface area may also be designated to accommodate part-time operations at a Class C or Class D airspace location (for example, those periods when the control tower is not in operation)
Pilots should refer to the airport page in the applicable Chart Supplement U.S. for surface area status information
Class E Surface Area
Offshore (beyond 12NM):
Offshore Class Echo Altitudes
There are Class E airspace areas that extend upward from a specified altitude to, but not including, 18,000 feet MSL and are designated as offshore airspace areas
This areas offshore control of incoming and outgoing international flights
These areas provide controlled airspace beyond 12 miles from the coast of the U.S. in those areas where there is a requirement to provide IFR en route ATC services and within which the U.S. is applying domestic procedures
Offshore Class Echo Altitudes
14,500:
Remember, 14,500 is the standard start of class E airspace (14,500-17,999)
Class Echo Airspace Related Private Pilot (Airplane) Airman Certification Standards:
Private Pilot (Airplane) National Airspace System Airman Certification Standards:
Objective: To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with National Airspace System (NAS) operations under VFR as a private pilot
Class Echo Airspace Related Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Airman Certification Standards:
Commercial Pilot (Airplane) National Airspace System Airman Certification Standards:
Objective: To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with National Airspace System (NAS) operations under VFR as a commercial pilot
Commercial Pilot (Airplane) National Airspace System Knowledge:
The applicant demonstrates understanding of:
CA.I.E.K1:
Airspace classes and associated requirements and limitations
CA.I.E.K2:
Chart symbols
CA.I.E.K3:
Special use airspace (SUA), special flight rules areas (SFRA), temporary flight restrictions (TFR), and other airspace areas
CA.I.E.K4:
Special visual flight rules (VFR) requirements
Commercial Pilot (Airplane) National Airspace System Risk Management:
The applicant is able to identify, assess, and mitigate risk associated with:
CA.I.E.R1:
Various classes and types of airspace
Commercial Pilot (Airplane) National Airspace System Skills:
The applicant exhibits the skill to:
CA.I.E.S1:
Identify and comply with the requirements for basic VFR weather minimums and flying in particular classes of airspace
CA.I.E.S2:
Correctly identify airspace and operate in accordance with associated communication and equipment requirements
CA.I.E.S3:
Identify the requirements for operating in SUA or within a TFR. Identify and comply with special air traffic rules (SATR) and SFRA operations, if applicable
