Question About Class G And VFR WX Minimums

Flyparrothead

Flyparrothead

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Flyparrothead
I am looking at the weather requirements for Class G operations, and I can't seem to find an airport or airspace that would be Class G above 1200 feet. I guess what I am asking, is if there is an airport that is Class G at the surface, outside of any other airspace, where does the Class G end, and where does the Class E begin?
 
Flyparrothead said:
I am looking at the weather requirements for Class G operations, and I can't seem to find an airport or airspace that would be Class G above 1200 feet. I guess what I am asking, is if there is an airport that is Class G at the surface, outside of any other airspace, where does the Class G end, and where does the Class E begin?
Click to expand...
I'm not sure there are any near you. You might try http://www.skyvector.com and look in Nevada, Montana, Idaho...

Class E starts at 14,500 if not otherwise specified.

For extra credit, why 14,500?

Joe
 
Flyparrothead said:
I am looking at the weather requirements for Class G operations, and I can't seem to find an airport or airspace that would be Class G above 1200 feet. I guess what I am asking, is if there is an airport that is Class G at the surface, outside of any other airspace, where does the Class G end, and where does the Class E begin?
Click to expand...

New Mexico is full of it:

E32 is at 7202ft and is Class G
N24 is at 7700ft and is Class G
T16 is at 6360ft and is Class G
 
SkyHog said:
New Mexico is full of it:

E32 is at 7202ft and is Class G
N24 is at 7700ft and is Class G
T16 is at 6360ft and is Class G
Click to expand...

So is Washington. Dig out a Seattle sectional and look at the areas in the northern middle of the state.
 
Flyparrothead said:
I am looking at the weather requirements for Class G operations, and I can't seem to find an airport or airspace that would be Class G above 1200 feet. I guess what I am asking, is if there is an airport that is Class G at the surface, outside of any other airspace, where does the Class G end, and where does the Class E begin?
Click to expand...

You won't find Class G airspace above 1200 AGL within North Carolina. I believe the only state east of the Mississippi River where it can be found is Michigan. Go to SkyVector and look at Luce County Airport, ERY. It's in an area of magenta vignette, indicating Class E airspace begins at 700 AGL. About 50 miles to the west you'll find Hanley Field, 5Y7, in an area of blue vignette, indicating Class E airspace begins at 1200 AGL. Move about 35 miles northeast and you'll find Grand Marais Airport, Y98, outside of that blue vignette and with no other floor of controlled airspace indicated, so Class E begins at 14,500 MSL. If you look on the bottom margin of the chart, right below 86 30 west longitude, you'll find the notation, "Class G airspace within the United States extends up to 14,500 feet MSL. At and above this altitude all airspace is within Class E airspace, excluding the airspace less than 1500 feet above the terrain and certain special use airspace areas." What about Class A airspace, you ask? Check the sectional legend and you'll find this, "Only the controlled and reserved airspace effective below 18,000 ft. MSL are shown on this chart."

Between CMX and YQT you'll find an example of "zippered" airspace, an airway floor between 1200 AGL and 14,500 MSL.
 
Areeda said:
I'm not sure there are any near you.
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I looked up and down the East Coast US and found no areas where Class G extended above 1200 AGL. I did find extensive areas (e.g. mountains east of ATL) where Class E starts at 700 AGL and I wonder why it's that way.
 
gismo said:
I did find extensive areas (e.g. mountains east of ATL) where Class E starts at 700 AGL and I wonder why it's that way.
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Areas without airports? Class E 700 areas are established for instrument approaches.
 
roncachamp said:
Areas without airports? Class E 700 areas are established for instrument approaches.
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There's a very wide area without airports where the
Class E starts at 700 AGL south and east of KTYS. There are a few airports within the area but they are widely separated.
 
gismo said:
There's a very wide area without airports where the
Class E starts at 700 AGL south and east of KTYS. There are a few airports within the area but they are widely separated.
Click to expand...

Is this what you're referring to:


ASO TN E5 Knoxville, TN

Knoxville, McGhee-Tyson Airport, TN
(lat. 35°48'45"N., long. 83°59'34"W.)
Benfi NDB
(lat. 35°44'32"N., long. 84°04'52"W.)
Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport
(lat. 35°51'28"N., long. 83°31'44"W.)
Knoxville Downtown Island Airport
(lat. 35°57'50"N., long. 83°52'26"W.)
Monroe County Airport, Madisonville, TN,
(lat. 35°32'43"N., long. 84°22'49"W.)

That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface within a 10-mile radius circle centered on McGhee-Tyson Airport and within 5 miles southeast and 8 miles northwest of the Knoxville localizer course southwest, extending from the 10-mile radius to 16 miles southwest of the Benfi LOM and from the 100° bearing from McGhee-Tyson Airport clockwise to the 210° bearing extending from the 10-mile radius southeast to the 34-mile radius centered on McGhee-Tyson Airport and within a 13-mile radius of Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport and from the 080° bearing from Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport clockwise to the 210° bearing extending from the 13-mile radius southeast to the 33 mile radius centered on Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport and within an 8-mile radius of Knoxville Downtown Island Airport and within a 6.5-mile radius of Monroe County Airport, Madisonville, TN; excluding that airspace within the Athens, TN, and the Morristown, TN, Class E airspace areas.
 
roncachamp said:
Is this what you're referring to:


ASO TN E5 Knoxville, TN

Knoxville, McGhee-Tyson Airport, TN
(lat. 35°48'45"N., long. 83°59'34"W.)
Benfi NDB
(lat. 35°44'32"N., long. 84°04'52"W.)
Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport
(lat. 35°51'28"N., long. 83°31'44"W.)
Knoxville Downtown Island Airport
(lat. 35°57'50"N., long. 83°52'26"W.)
Monroe County Airport, Madisonville, TN,
(lat. 35°32'43"N., long. 84°22'49"W.)

That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface within a 10-mile radius circle centered on McGhee-Tyson Airport and within 5 miles southeast and 8 miles northwest of the Knoxville localizer course southwest, extending from the 10-mile radius to 16 miles southwest of the Benfi LOM and from the 100° bearing from McGhee-Tyson Airport clockwise to the 210° bearing extending from the 10-mile radius southeast to the 34-mile radius centered on McGhee-Tyson Airport and within a 13-mile radius of Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport and from the 080° bearing from Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport clockwise to the 210° bearing extending from the 13-mile radius southeast to the 33 mile radius centered on Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport and within an 8-mile radius of Knoxville Downtown Island Airport and within a 6.5-mile radius of Monroe County Airport, Madisonville, TN; excluding that airspace within the Athens, TN, and the Morristown, TN, Class E airspace areas.
Click to expand...

I didn't plot it out but it sounds like the area I was talking about. What's it for?
 
Areeda said:
I'm not sure there are any near you. You might try http://www.skyvector.com and look in Nevada, Montana, Idaho...

Class E starts at 14,500 if not otherwise specified.

For extra credit, why 14,500?

Joe
Click to expand...

It's the old "Continental Control Area".

Want a prime example of Class G up above 10K, look around the Beatty NV area, and notice how the floors to the Class E change with the airways, and outside the airways.
 
gismo said:
I didn't plot it out but it sounds like the area I was talking about. What's it for?
Click to expand...

Class E-5 airspace areas, Class E airspace that begins 700 feet AGL, is established to accommodate arriving IFR aircraft below 1,500 feet AGL and departing IFR aircraft until they reach 1,200 feet AGL. Looks like it's for operations at TYS, GKT, DKX, and MNV.

I'm not going to plot out all the procedures, but just on a quick examination of the sectional the biggest factor looks like the rising terrain to the southeast of TYS. Remember, controlled airspace begins at 700/1200 AGL here so the floor of controlled airspace is being pushed up by rising terrain. If that arc of magenta vignette was closer to TYS departure aircraft could be in Class G airspace briefly before reentering controlled airspace again at 1200 AGL.
 
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