Radio Calls Made Easy

For some unknown reason the "Push to Talk" button often acts more like a "Push to Stop Thinking" button. This phenomenon results in choppy broken radio calls. When this happens ATC is forced to pull the information out of you. Or worse, in busy airspace there is no time for a friendly Q & A. In stead, ATC will simply give you a vector and by doing so kindly kick you out of their airspace. To avoid being kicked out of airspace and to sound like a pro on the radio try cheating.

A cheat sheet is an easy way to sound like a pro on the radio. Print this card off before your next flight. While this cheat sheet is geared for instrument flight it also works when contacting ATC while VFR. And remember ATC can't hear you reading but everyone can hear those long pauses as you try to spit out your request for a clearance.

Class A Airspace

Description:
Class A airspace overlies the 48 contiguous United States and Alaska, including airspace overlying waters within 12 NM of the coast.

Dimensions:
The vertical boundaries of Class A airspace are 18,000 feet MSL to 60,000 feet MSL (FL 600). Above FL600, the airspace reverts to Class E. Airspace in Alaska below 1500 AGL is not considered part of Class A airspace regardless of altitude.

Clearance:
All operations in Class A airspace must be conducted under IFR. VFR and SVFR flight in Class A airspace is prohibited.

Class B Airspace

Description:
Class B airspace is used to control the flow traffic around major airports.

VFR Sectional:
The airspace is charted on a VFR Sectional with a series of blue lines. Within these blue lines the floor and the ceiling of the Class B airspace is defined.

Dimensions:
The lateral boundaries of Class B airspace are individually tailored to facilitate arriving and departing traffic operating under IFR. Class B airspace extends from the surface to generally 10,000 feet MSL. In Denver and Salt Lake City the ceiling is at 12,000 feet MSL while in Phoenix the ceiling is at 9,000 feet MSL. Always consult your map for the most current floor and ceiling information.

Clearance:
Aircraft must establish two-way radio communication with ATC and obtain a clearance to enter the airspace.

Transponder:
All aircraft operating inside or within 30 NM of Class B airspace are required to have a transponder with Mode C. The 30 NM Mode C Veil is denoted on VFR charts by a thin magenta line.

Weather:
VFR traffic must remain clear of clouds and maintain 3 SM of visibility while operating within Class B airspace.

Class C Airspace

Description:
Class C airspace is used around airports with moderate traffic levels.

VFR Sectional:
The airspace is charted on a VFR Sectional by 2 magenta circles. Within these magenta circles the floor and the ceiling of the Class C airspace is defined.

Dimensions:
The airspace consists of 2 circles centered on the airport. The inner circle has a radius of 5 NM while the outer circle has a 10 NM radius. The inner circle begins at the surface and continues to 4000 ft AGL. The outer circle begins at 1200 ft AGL and continues to 4000 ft AGL. There is a 20 NM ring around all Class C airports referred to as the “Outer Area.” This area is not part of the Class C airspace. The outer area begins at the lower limit of radio/radar coverage and continues up to the upper limit of Approach Control's delegated airspace. As stated on VFR Sectional Charts you are asked to contact approach control within 20 NM of the airport.

Clearance:
Prior to entry, you must establish radio contact with ATC. If ATC responds with, "(Your aircraft call sign), standby," then contact has been established. If ATC does not use your call sign, contact has not been established.

Transponder:
A transponder with Mode C is required in and above all Class C airspace up to 10,000 ft MSL.

Weather:
VFR traffic must remain 500 ft below, 1000 ft above, and 2000 ft horizontal separation from clouds with 3 miles of visibility.

Class D Airspace

Description:
Class D airspace is generally pretty quiet but has the capacity and infrastructure to handle large volumes of traffic.

Sectional:
Class D airspace is charted on a VFR Sectional by a blue segmented line.

Dimensions:
The lateral dimensions of Class D airspace are individually tailored to facilitate IFR arrives and departures. The airspace begins at the surface and extends to 2,500 ft AGL. The MSL altitude of the ceiling is displayed as a two digit number within a dashed box. Some Class D airports have extensions protruding from the main airspace. These extensions are used for instrument approaches. If an extension is 2 NM or less, it is Class D airspace. If there is more than one extension and anyone of the extensions is greater than 2 NM, then all extensions are designated as Class E airspace.

Clearance:
Prior to entering Class D airspace, radio contact must be established with ATC. If ATC responds with, "(Your aircraft call sign), standby," then contact has been established. If ATC does not use your call sign, contact has not been established.

Class D airspace is only in effect when the tower is operational. When the tower is closed the airspace reverts to Class E and no clearance is required to enter. During these hours CTAF calls are over tower’s frequency.

Transponder:
A transponder is not required to operate within Class D airspace.

Weather:
VFR traffic must remain 500 ft below, 1000 ft above, and 2000 ft laterally from clouds with 3 miles of visibility while operating within Class D airspace.

Class E Airspace

Description:
All controlled airspace which is not Class A, B, C nor D is considered Class E airspace.

VFR Sectional:
Three types of Class E airspace are depicted on VFR Sectional Charts: surface based, transitional areas, and federal airway.

Surface based Class E airspace is depicted by a magenta segmented line. On occasion it is included as an extension of Class D airspace. These extensions are used facilitate instrument approaches. If the extension is 2 NM or less, it is Class D airspace. If anyone extension is greater than 2 NM, then all extensions are Class E airspace. (A clearance is not necessary to transition though Class E extensions.)

Transitional areas are used to transition between the terminal and en route environment. The airspace begins at either 700 feet AGL (fading magenta band) or 1200 feet AGL (fading blue band).

Federal airways below 18,000 feet MSL are Class E airspace. These airways are also known as Vector airways and begin at 1200 feet AGL.

Dimensions:
Surface based and transitional areas are individually tailored to fit the needs of the environment they serve.

Federal airways within Class E airspace begin at 1200 feet AGL and extend up to but not including 18,000 feet MSL. The width of a these airways is 8 NM. Airways exceeding 51 NM expand about 2 NM every 13 NM.

Unless designated at a lower altitude, Class E airspace begins at 14,500 feet MSL and continues up to but not including 18,000 feet MSL over the 48 contiguous States and Alaska.

Clearance:
A clearance is not required to enter Class E airspace.

Transponder:
A transponder is not required to operate within Class E airspace.

Weather:
VFR visibility and cloud clearance requirements are the same as Class C and Class D when below 10,000 feet MSL. Above 10,000 feet MSL, the visibility requirement is extended to 5 SM and the cloud clearance requirement is extended to 1,000 feet below, 1,000 feet above, and 1 SM laterally from clouds.

Class G Airspace

Description:
All uncontrolled airspace is considered Class G.

Sectional:
Not depicted

Dimensions:
All airspace outside of controlled airspace.

Clearance:
A clearance is not required to operate VFR within Class G airspace.

Transponder:
A transponder is not required to operate VFR within Class G airspace.

Weather:

1200 feet AGL or less above the surface (regardless of MSL altitude).
	Visibility	Clouds
Day	1 statute mile	Clear of clouds
Night	3 statute mile	500 feet below 1,000 feet above 2,000 feet horizontal
More than 1,200 feet AGL but less than 10,000 feet MSL.
	Visibility	Clouds
Day	1 statute mile	500 feet below 1,000 feet above 2,000 feet horizontal
Night	3 statute miles	500 feet below 1,000 feet above 2,000 feet horizontal
More than 1,200 AGL and at or above 10,000 feet MSL.
	Visibility	Clouds
Day/Night	5 statute miles	1,000 feet below 1,000 feet above 1 statute mile horizontal