National Airspace System Class Charlie Class C Airspace What You Need To Learn Class C airspace covers busy commercial airports. Unlike Class B airspace, however, Class C airports have less total traffic and a more even mix of airline and general aviation aircraft. What do you need to know about Class C airspace? This section covers: ● Why Class C exists ● How it's shown on a sectional chart ● VFR weather minimums ● Radio communication requirements ● Speed restrictions ● Required equipment inside and around Class C ● Radio communication requirements ● Speed restrictions ● Required equipment inside and around Class C 1 of 8
1. Intro Class C Airspace Why Class C Exists Class C airspace covers busy airports, which usually have a mix of airline and general aviation traffic. Class C airspace is considerably smaller than Class B airspace, and Air Traffic Control does not provide the same level of separation service as you would find in Class B airspace. However, you still talk to ATC while inside Class C airspace, and your ModeC transponder provides them your altitude information. Where It's Found Class C airspace is found at midsize airports like Daytona, FL (KDAB), Nashville, TN (KBNA), and Sacramento, CA (KSMF). Who flies in Class C? Anything from training aircraft to airline jets operate in the airspace. Why The Shape? Why does Class C airspace look like an upside down twolayer cake? The cake shape allows arriving and departing aircraft to remain in the Class C airspace, and safely separated from other aircraft. At the same time, lower, slower airplanes can continue operating at smaller airports outside (but near) Class C airspace, and still remain outside the airspace. 2 of 8 2. Identification and Boundaries How To Identify Class C Airspace Identifying Class C airspace on a VFR sectional is pretty easy. There are two markings you need to know: ● Horizontal boundary markings ● Vertical boundary markings Horizontal Boundaries The horizontal boundaries of Class C airspace are marked with a thick magenta line
. Class C airspace typically has two rings, but it can vary based on terrain and surrounding airspace. Vertical Boundaries Vertical boundaries of Class C airspace are made up of two sets of
bold magenta numbers
, separated by a
magenta horizontal line
. Top Number The top number represents the ceiling of Class C airspace in hundreds of feet MSL. If the number is
"40,"
it means the ceiling of Class C airspace is
4,000' MSL
. Altitudes for Class C airspace are inclusive, meaning if you fly at the altitude marked on the map,
you are in Class C airspace. Bottom Number The bottom number represents the floor of Class C airspace in hundreds of feet MSL. If the number is
"12,"
it means the floor of Class C airspace is
1,200' MSL
. SFC When a layer of Class C airspace extends to the surface, the bottom altitude number is replaced with the letters "SFC", for "surface." 3 of 8 Inner Ring The inner ring of Class C airspace typically extends from the surface to 4,000' above the airport,
and has a
radius of 5NM. Keep in mind, however, that the airspace shape and altitude depend on other factors like nearby terrain and other airports. Outer Ring The outer ring of Class C airspace typically extends from
1,200' above the airport to 4,000' above the airport
, and has a
radius of 10NM
. Again, the airspace shape and size depend on local factors, so make sure you check out the details for each Class C airport you're flying into or out of. 4 of 8 3. VFR Weather Minimums Now that you can identify Class C airspace, it's time to talk about the minimum weather you need to fly VFR in it. Class C minimum weather requirements exist so that you can see and avoid other aircraft. Since Class C is busy airspace, ATC wants you to stay far enough away from the clouds so you can see and avoid other airplanes. VFR weather minimums for Class C can be broken down into four minimum distances: ● Visibility ● Height above clouds ● Height below clouds ● Horizontal distance from clouds Class C weather minimums are the same during the day and night. Visibility You need to maintain at least
3SM
(statute miles) of visibility to operate VFR in Class C airspace, day or night. Height Above Clouds You need to stay
1000 feet above
clouds, day or night. Height Below Clouds You need to stay
500 feet below
clouds, day or night. Horizontal Distance From Clouds And last of all, you need to stay
2000 feet horizontally
from clouds, day or night. "3 Cessna 152s" An easy way to remember VFR weather minimums for Class C airspace is the phrase "3 Cessna 152s". Each number in the phrase stands for one of the distances: ● 3SM visibility ● 1000' above ● 500' below ● 2000' horizontal How easy is that? 5 of 8 1000' AGL And 3SM Rule When you're in Class C airspace that starts at the surface, you cannot fly under the ceiling (a broken or overcast cloud layer) when the ceiling is less than
1000' AGL
or the visibility is less than
3SM
. When weather conditions are worse than 1000' and 3SM, IFR aircraft could be flying instrument approach procedures, and you wouldn't have the ability to seeandavoid them as they break out to land. Special VFR Minimums When you're in Class C airspace that starts at the surface, you may request a
Special VFR (SVFR) clearance
when weather conditions are below the standard minimums. (Several Class C areas don't allow SVFR check FAR 91, Appendix D, Section 3). Under Special VFR, you must remain
clear of clouds
and maintain a flight visibility of at least
1SM
. If you're taking off or landing, the reported ground visibility must be at least 1SM. You also need to hold a private pilot certificate, and you can only operate SVFR between sunrise and sunset. To operate SVFR after sunset, you must be qualified for instrument flight under FAR 61, and your aircraft must be equipped for instrument flight. To request a Special VFR clearance, contact Approach Control if you're in the air. If you're on the ground, contact Clearance Delivery, or if the airport doesn't have a Clearance Delivery, contact Ground. If traffic permits, ATC can clear you into the airspace under Special VFR. However, if aircraft are using instrument approach procedures for the airport, you won't be cleared. 6 of 8 4. Requirements and Restrictions Class C Radio Communication Before you enter Class C airspace, you need to establish communication with ATC if you're arriving, this will be the airspace's approach control. Establishing communication is different than getting a clearance, which often confuses new pilots. You need to be cleared to enter Class B airspace, which means you need to hear the words "[Callsign], you are cleared to enter the Class Bravo airspace." However, to enter Class C airspace, you only need to establish communication which means that ATC has communicated with you using your callsign. How To Establish Radio Communication On Arrival As you approach a Class C airport, you'll contact that airspace's approach control. Here's what you need to do: 1) Call ATC on the radio
before
you're in Class C airspace and tell them: ● Your position ● Altitude ● Current transponder code ● Destination ● Request Class C service 2) Get a response back from ATC that includes your
callsign (tail number) A few more notes on this: ● Once you hear your callsign, you can enter the Class C airspace. ● Note: if the controller responds with "(Aircraft callsign) standby", you have established twoway radio communication, and you can enter Class C airspace. ● If you don't hear your callsign, you CAN NOT enter the airspace. ● If the controller is busy, they can ask you to stay out of the Class C airspace until they are ready. Speed Restrictions Class C airports have lots of traffic. So, to give pilots time to seeandavoid each other, aircraft speeds are restricted more than normal. 7 of 8 In any airspace, aircraft must not exceed
250 knots when they're below 10,000' MSL
. (This is the light blue area in the graphic.) However, when you're within
4NM of the primary Class C airport and at or below 2,500' AGL (above the ground), you can't exceed 200 knots
. (This is the dark blue area in the graphic.) What's a primary airport? It's the main airport inside the Class C airspace. Required Equipment There are a few pieces of equipment you need on board your airplane when you fly in Class C airspace: ● Twoway radio ● ModeC transponder Both are required so that you can maintain communication with ATC, and so that they can track your location and altitude on their radar scope. 8 of 8