The US switched over to the ICAO designators in 1993, but mostly kept the same schema under which it had been operating prior:
Positive Control Area (PCA) became Class A
Terminal Control Area (TCA) became Class B
Airport Radar Surveillance Area (ARSA) became Class C
Airport Traffic Area (ATA) and Control Zone (CZ) became Class D
Other controlled airspace like transition zones and airways became Class E
Uncontrolled airspace became Class G
In Canada you’ll see the areas surrounding airports use Terminal Control Area, Control Zone, etc, but the airspace within those can be one of several types, fairly independent of the nomenclature and more based on position and intended usage.
Fair. But there are still subtle and significant differences:
Terminal Control Areas in Canada are Class C, no different than control zones immediately surrounding many busy airports in the country. Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, etc TCAs are Class C, just as the airspace around St Andrews, Springbank, Pitt Meadows, etc are Class C. You need a clearance to enter that Class C, not just establish two-way radio communication.
Canadian Class B only exists between 12500’ and 18000’ in areas with radar coverage.
Similar to American Class B airspace around airports like LAX, VFR routes are published on the Canadian VFR charts, via which VFR traffic can transit the Canadian Class C TCAs.
Smaller Canadian Class C airports often revert to Class E mandatory frequency zones during off hours. I don’t know if mandatory frequency (MF) zones exist in the US. In Canada, MF zones are designated independent of the class of airspace, in so far as an airport can even be in Class G airspace and still have a MF zone around it.
And quickly back to the OPs original question: there’s an area near my home airport where we routinely fly just 50-100 feet below the TCA. We need to squeeze through like that because there are highrises below that have a 2000’ radius, 1000’ vertical zone around them that you’re not allowed to fly through, and the TCA above. It is Class E airspace and we do always have a transponder code that is given to us when we depart the Class C general aviation airport nearby, but we don’t need to monitor the TCA frequency or get permission to transit it, even though we’re only a stone’s throw away from it. We just get cleared for that departure or arrival route by the Class C GA airport’s controllers and we fly it. (Noting that this Class E airspace is still outside the GA airport’s Class C, but it’s close enough that they want you to be talking to them and have requested clearance to enter their airspace by then.)
Something I love about this site is I wind up learning way more than my original question. It stimulates people that know way more than I do to dig into deep details with each other!
I read around on aviation sites too and I don’t think they really go into the details I see on here.
Slightly off topic, but when departing a class D (in US) are you required to make contact on the frequency change? For example, if I’m departing to class G or E airspace under VFR. Can you just acknowledge the frequency change and not make contact?
Unless you want flight following, there’s usually nobody to contact in uncontrolled airspace or class E if you’re VFR. Sometimes a class D airport has a tracon to which they’ll hand you off, just depends on their local letter of authorization/operating guidelines. But if you’re haven’t requested or are not planning on getting flight following (or IFR, obviously), they’ll often just tell you “frequency change approved,” or just as often say nothing at all (again, depends on the tower) and you just leave the delta and change frequency on your own.
Sometimes there are dedicated practice area frequencies in which you can self-announce if they’re busy and/or you plan to do airwork or linger around. Same with CTAF at nearby airports, but none of that is required… recommended in some cases, but not required. You can also monitor MULTICOM or guard - it’s up to you. I wouldn’t announce on guard, though. Most people just meow, anyways.
Another lifetime ago I was in the CAP and would monitor 121.5 and ELT beacons. We had those crystal scanner radios. Most of the time we would trace the ELT back to and airplane in parking.
I never heard any meowing.
… A quick reading indicates belching on guard is popular.
Boredom, immaturity, and/or anti-authority behavior, along with zero enforcement has gotten us there. And it’s kind of a meme, anyway, which may pass someday.
I always have to fly around or under the Bravo in my area. I never get closer than 500 feet vertically. All kinds of reasons, altimeter is most likely off by a bit. Thermals and bumps can easily push my little plane up or down 100 feet etc. There only airspace that you need permission it enter is Class A and Class B. D and C you need positive radio contact ie your tail number must be said by the controller. Now that being said, its not a great idea just to get radio contact and barrel into a class D. Its for your safety and others that you give the controller what you want to do and give them plenty of time to help you.
I just watched an airplane teardrop onto the downwind. He crossed in and out of the class C a few times by a small amount. He kept the CTAF well advised. Overflew one airplane by about 300 feet. The CFI came on and asked if he saw her on downwind. I hear her frequently, she seems to often get annoyed with the other traffic.
I wasn’t monitoring the other frequency but I guess he must have been in contact with the class C airspace too? Do pilots usually work two radios at the same time when doing something like that?
Where was this and what were you using to watch? ADS-B altitude listed on some websites is often way off from indicated altitude, which is what’s important from a pilots perspective in the air. I wouldn’t assume anything specific from a glance at an altitude readout from a commercial website.
Generally not. We might monitor a nearby tracon or tower when operating underneath or very adjacent to more restrictive airspace, but we can only transmit on one radio at a time. Working two back and forth, while possible, is a lot of unnecessary workload.
FR24, it’s mostly accurate from what I can tell. I can see the GPS and baro, but the GPS isn’t always available. I know it’s not perfect and not all traffic is broadcasting ADS-B.
Yes, where there is a transition from 1600 to 1200 feet. He could have been in that margin of error. Basically squeezing in between a busy pattern and the C shelf.
I may start training at the airport in the near future, so I’m trying to get a better feel for what I’ll be in for. It’s not unusual to see 3 to 6 airplanes in touch and go patterns at any given moment with frequent new full stop arrivals coming in from any possible direction. Although I should probably not worry and let the instructors do their job.
yeah dont let traffic or airport business discourage or affect your decision to fly. You will never have to do anything that you are not ready to do. Your instructor will handle all radio’s and pattern work when you first start. When you start landings he most likely will take you out to a much less busy airport. By the time you are flying yourself in a busy pattern or complex airspace you will be more than ready. Just take it one step at a time. Everything you do will be tough at first but then get easy as you progress onto next topic.
Did the plane fly outside of the 1.5nm radius buffer of 1600’ charlie around the airport in question?
And yes, let the instructor lead. They’ll get you to a point where you can be signed off to solo, and when you are, you can be sure it’s because they know you’re ready for it, no matter what airport or traffic issues you have to deal with.
