How Far Up Does National Airspace Go?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Class A airspace is generally the airspace from

18,000 feet mean sea level (MSL)

up to and including flight level (FL) 600, including the airspace overlying the waters within 12 nautical miles (NM) of the coast of the 48 contiguous states and Alaska.

How far up does a country’s airspace extend?

There is no international agreement on the vertical extent of sovereign airspace, with suggestions ranging from about 30 km (19 mi)—the extent of the highest aircraft and balloons—to

about 160 km (99 mi)

—the lowest extent of short-term stable orbits.

How high is controlled airspace?

Definition. Generally, that airspace from the

surface to 4,000 feet above the airport elevation

(charted in MSL) surrounding those airports that have an operational control tower, are serviced by a radar approach control, and that have a certain number of IFR operations or passenger enplanements.

At what height does the FAA begin to govern airspace?

(b) Over congested areas – Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open-air assembly of persons, an altitude of

1,000 feet above the highest obstacle

within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.

How far out is US air space?

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; and designated international airspace beyond 12 nautical miles off the coast of the 48 contiguous States and Alaska within …

What airspace is above FL600?

Airspace at any altitude over FL600 (60,000 MSL) (the ceiling of Class A airspace) is designated

Class E airspace

. The U.S. does not use ICAO Class F.

Do I own the airspace above my property?

In Causby, the Supreme Court confirmed that landowners have a right to prevent “intrusions of airspace” and that the

landowner owned “at least as much of the space above the ground as he

can occupy or use in connection with the land.” U.S. v.

Where is it legal to land a bush plane?

In general, you

can land on any public land that is not a place someone else would be

(like a road). If you land on a road without good reason, it could be construed as reckless. In remote areas like Alaska landing off field is routine and occurs as a matter of course.

Can you legally land a plane anywhere?


Yes

. As long as you own (or legally control) the property and there are no local laws preventing it, you can land a plane in your backyard. Or front yard, for that matter, provided that you have sufficient space. So go ahead and put that airstrip on your property.

Can you fly over Class D airspace?

Since Class D is

controlled airspace all the way to the surface

, you can’t fly VFR when the ceiling (a broken or overcast cloud layer) is less than 1000′ AGL (FAR 91.155 (c)), or when the visibility is less than 3 SM.

Can a student fly into Bravo airspace?

Generally,

student and recreational pilots are not permitted to fly in Class B airspace

, or to take off or land at a Class B airport.

What is the maximum airspeed in Class D airspace?

Unless otherwise authorized or required by ATC, no person may operate an aircraft at or below 2,500′ AGL within 4 NM of the primary airport of a Class D airspace area at an indicated airspeed of more than

200 knots (230 mph)

Can you fly VFR over the ocean?

Most of

the time VFR flights can be flown direct

, which is a big advantage of overwater flying. But sometimes military operating areas (MOAs) and other special-use airspace can be factors, and you may have to circumnavigate them. By the way, look for ships as you fly. If you have to ditch, do it near them.

HOW HIGH CAN Class G airspace go?

Class G airspace within the United States extends

up to 14,500′ Mean Sea Level (MSL)

At and above this altitude is Class E, excluding the airspace less than 1500′ above the terrain and certain special use airspace areas.

What are the six classifications of airspace?

There are six classifications of airspace in the United States;

A, B, C, D, E, and G

. Class A is the most restrictive and Class G the least restrictive.

What kind of airspace is around big airports in big cities?


Class B Airspace

: Class B airspace surrounds the nation’s busiest airports and usually goes as high as 10,000 feet MSL, in some cases even higher. The uppermost level of Class B airspace may extend horizontally with radius of up to a 15 nautical miles around the airport tower.

David Evans
Author
David Evans
David is a seasoned automotive enthusiast. He is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering and has a passion for all things related to cars and vehicles. With his extensive knowledge of cars and other vehicles, David is an authority in the industry.