... Where can(not) you fly? Who separates who? ...
OBJECTIVES:
- Explain what this table is saying
Airspace classifications
Much like the number of Stars tell you what service you may expect from a Hotel (breakfast, minibar, satellite TV, ...), a similar "rating" system exists for airspaces.
Depending the traffic it handles, airspace is assigned one of the "Classes" from A to G. Each class tells what type of flights may operate, what service is provided to pilots, together with a number of requirements.
You can find to what class a particular airspace belongs on airspace maps that you may download from Division websites, in the Aeronautical Information Publications (AIP) or other relevant (national) documents.
Note that different types of airspace, such as control zones (CTR) and terminal control areas (TMA) are labelled as a particular class of airspace with own criteria regarding separations, VFR allowed or not, etc...
Class Criteria:
This is valid for controlled and uncontrolled airspaces - Restricted, Danger and Prohibited areas have no classification!
Type of flight
These are simply the Flight Rules: IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) or VFR (Visual Flight Rules)
Separation
Since on VATSim radar separation is mainly used, this will mostly be 5NM horizontally or 1000ft vertically up to FL 290 and 2000 ft above that level (except in RVSM airspace).
Traffic info means that ATC tells where the other aircraft are and that pilots make their own separation according Right of Way rules.
Contact ATC
Be aware if you must contact ATC or not before doing anything with your aircraft. Mostly this will be to ask a clearance or to tell ATC what your intentions are when you need to be separated from other aircraft.
Requires ATC clearance
In some airspaces the rules are very strict and you need a clearance for about anything you would like to do (if ATC is online of course). Elsewhere, you're (almost) as free as a bird. Don't forget that there are always rules to be obeyed such as the ones about "Right of Way".
Speed limit
Speed limitations below 10.000 ft / FL100 are valid in certain airspace classes, but is up to ATC to apply them or not or even to impose another speed.
| On VATSim, it has been agreed that as a general rule, Military fighter and Military fast-jet aircraft may fly up to 350 kt IAS (Indicated Air Speed) below 10.000 ft / FL100 in both controlled and uncontrolled airspaces. |
Airspace classification table
|
Class
|
Type of flight
|
Separation
|
Contact ATC
|
Requires an ATC clearance
|
Speed limit
|
|
A
|
IFR only
|
separation from all aircraft
|
yes
|
yes
|
no
|
|
B
|
IFR
|
separation from all aircraft
|
yes
|
yes
|
no
|
|
VFR
|
separation from all aircraft
|
yes
|
yes
|
no
|
|
C
|
IFR
|
separation from all aircraft
|
yes
|
yes
|
no
|
|
VFR
|
separation from IFR
but only traffic info about VFR
|
yes
|
yes
|
250 kt IAS below 10.000ft / FL100
|
|
D
|
IFR
|
separation from IFR
but only traffic info about VFR
|
yes
|
yes
|
250 kt IAS below 10.000ft / FL100
|
|
VFR
|
traffic info only
|
yes
|
yes
|
250 kt IAS below 10.000ft / FL100
|
|
E
|
IFR
|
separation from IFR only -
traffic info about VFR (1)
|
yes
|
yes
|
250 kt IAS below 10.000ft / FL100
|
|
VFR
|
traffic info only (1)
|
no (3)
|
no
|
250 kt IAS below 10.000ft / FL100
|
|
F
|
IFR
|
separation from IFR only (1) (2)
|
yes
|
no
|
250 kt IAS below 10.000ft / FL100
|
|
VFR
|
no
|
no (3)
|
no
|
250 kt IAS below 10.000ft / FL100
|
|
G
|
IFR
|
no
|
yes
|
no
|
250 kt IAS below 10.000ft / FL100
|
|
VFR
|
no
|
no (3)
|
no
|
250 kt IAS below 10.000ft / FL100
|
(1) as far as practical
(2) Air traffic advisory service
(3) On VATSim, ALWAYS CONTACT ATC WHEN you receive a "CONTACT ME ", whatever airspace Class you're in, uncontrolled or not!