TAC needed for landing in Class B?

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warthog1984

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I was doing a checkout flight prior to the actual PPL checkride on Friday and the instructor said that TACs were required if you were landing at a Class B airport.

Is this true (and where would I find this req?) or is he blowing smoke?

I'll have sectionals, WACs, and a current 430W with me, if that helps.
 
Why don't you ask him to show you the regulation?

Last I checked it's not in the FARs, at least not for your average part 91 general aviation flight. You technically don't need to have a regular old sectional, either. But, if you blast through a R-zone on your way into the Bravo because you didn't have a sectional, they'll bust you for it and probably get you for 91.103 too (not making yourself familiar with all available information). Similarly if you bust a Bravo shelf because you didnt have the TAC, and the Sectional was too fuzzy at that zoom level, you'll still have to suffer their wrath. But no, it's not in and of itself an illegal act to land at the Bravo without the charts.
 
Tacs are recommended for class b airspace . Usually a good idea as they show VFR corridors through the area.
 
No TAC requirement. No requirement to carry any charts for your particular case. If you have charts, they don't even have to be current. Go to the FAA's website under FAQs and they clarify the issue there. They make it clear that for most Part 91 ops they have no enforcement action against no charts or outdated charts. Obviously not a good idea, but I believe your question is about what's required and not technique.
 
Recommended. Yes.
Good idea? yes.
Required? not for part 91 except for operations under part 91, Subpart F (large or turbine powered aircraft). Chances are if you are pursuing your checkride for PP-ASEL, you are not operating under Subpart F.

That being said, if you are going for a checkride, and there is a class B anywhere nearby, or perhaps is the imaginary destination of your planned long cross country or close enough to be an alternate landing site, I'd have the chart on my person when I sat down for oral. And have my planned path marked up on the chart.

At your level of experience it would be silly for you to be able to claim experience enough with the local class B to operate without the TAC.

But no.. you aren't required to have it. Except for 91 Subpart F. And actually then, you could have a sectional or WAC and possibly get away with it...
 
Doggtyred said:
That being said, if you are going for a checkride, and there is a class B anywhere nearby, or perhaps is the imaginary destination of your planned long cross country or close enough to be an alternate landing site, I'd have the chart on my person when I sat down for oral. And have my planned path marked up on the chart.
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This is exactly what my instructor said a couple days ago.

We both know the DPE won't be actually taking me through Chicago's class B but my mock XC will take me close to it, or under one of the shelves. A TAC chart is a very good idea if you're going to be under/close to class B and the backside has detailed diagrams of VFR flyways as well. With all the activity in and around a class B airport, I think it would be silly not to have one.
 
fiveoboy01 said:
This is exactly what my instructor said a couple days ago.

We both know the DPE won't be actually taking me through Chicago's class B but my mock XC will take me close to it, or under one of the shelves. A TAC chart is a very good idea if you're going to be under/close to class B and the backside has detailed diagrams of VFR flyways as well. With all the activity in and around a class B airport, I think it would be silly not to have one.
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Correct!! But if your CFI said that the TAC was required he is in error...and the DPE could very well ask you about that.


Mike
 
like everyone said, a TAC is not required to land in class B. it is recommended to have on board though. since you have a sectional and a gps, you should be fine. ask your instructor where in the regs you can find his bogus claim
 
Thanks all.

Yeah, I didn't think this was right, but figured I'd check first.

The checkride's taking me well away from the Bravo, but I am planning to fly down to PHX on Sat, thus the question.

Since it isn't local and is a one-off there/back, I'll probably skip the TAC and just use the charts I have and the GPS as a backup.

OTOH, the LAX TAC already has a permanent home in my flight bag.
 
You aren't required to have ANY chart specifically. Just that you make sure you have all available information pertaining to the flight.
 
NO not required.


Good idea, depends on the complexity of the bravo.

I've flown into some bravo airports in SoCal without a TAC no prob.


Just use your best judgment / common sense.
 
I don't have it in front of me, but I know that I read that a LAX TAC is REQUIRED to be on board if you are using one of the LAX transition routes through the Bravo airspace since there are options that allow you to pass through without ATC communication...now that is just transitioning LAX's Bravo...not landing.
 
Shawn said:
I don't have it in front of me, but I know that I read that a LAX TAC is REQUIRED to be on board if you are using one of the LAX transition routes through the Bravo airspace since there are options that allow you to pass through without ATC communication...now that is just transitioning LAX's Bravo...not landing.
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Not the transitions. The SFRA. There are similar very specific requirements for the Hudson and East Rivers and the DC flight restricted zone.
 
MAKG1 said:
Not the transitions. The SFRA. There are similar very specific requirements for the Hudson and East Rivers and the DC flight restricted zone.
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The LA and NY SFRA's do require the appropriate Terminal Area Chart. The DC SFRA does not -- not even in the FRZ. But those are SFRA rules in Part 93, not Class B rules in Part 91.
 
Inverted said:
You aren't required to have ANY chart specifically. Just that you make sure you have all available information pertaining to the flight.
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That is the FAA's way of saying you don't have to have the chart, but you need to know what is on it.

If you screw up and the FAA inspector meets you when you land or ie call the tower and they ask what *** happened pulling out a 4 year old WAC chart to explain probably isn't going get you out of an enforcement action. A current TAC chart might, better still if you had your route of flight drawn it.

Brian
 
brcase said:
That is the FAA's way of saying you don't have to have the chart, but you need to know what is on it.

If you screw up and the FAA inspector meets you when you land or ie call the tower and they ask what *** happened pulling out a 4 year old WAC chart to explain probably isn't going get you out of an enforcement action.
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Not only that, the lack of a current chart may be used as an aggravating condition and result in more severe action than if you just plain goofed, e.g., the difference between remedial training and a suspension. See http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/faq/#q8b for details.
 
If you're going to be operating within the area of a TAC chart, having one is wise. The extra detail they give you is helpful at preventing errors. If you know everything on it like the back of your hand, you can ignore this.
 
Henning said:
If you're going to be operating within the area of a TAC chart, having one is wise. The extra detail they give you is helpful at preventing errors. If you know everything on it like the back of your hand, you can ignore this.
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ForeFlight is great in this regard as all the TAC's are included, and they show up automatically as you zoom in for detail.
 
Henning said:
If you're going to be operating within the area of a TAC chart, having one is wise. The extra detail they give you is helpful at preventing errors. If you know everything on it like the back of your hand, you can ignore this.
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I'm just thinking how to control "chart overload" both from a cost and resource management perspective. If I didn't have the current database for the 430W or planned on visiting more than once, I'd probably get a TAC. I'm thinking though that the 430W will work in lieu of a TAC, especially since I'd have the current sectional and WAC.
 
I used to fly with only WACs and TACs, no sectionals. I figured the usefulness of the TAC made it worthwhile, and not having to carry around the SAC gave me extra room for the few TACs I needed (KLAS, KDEN, and KPHX were all I had, and only one WAC for the whole area IIRC).
 
They are a good idea if you're VFR. For IFR, no need to bother unless you need to worry about the 200 knot limit beneath.
 
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