In this video, we take a look at the different types of airspaces as well as methods to "safely" traverse them using radio communication. Sorry about the dog :(
Nice work on a difficult topic. A few notes: - Class G is not 700 to 1200. It is surface up to 700AGL OR up to 1200AGL (1500AGL when above 10,000MSL). Class E is everything else that's not below 1500AGL or above FL180 and not a class B, C or D. Those fat magenta areas are where the class E floor drops to above 700AGL. These areas are around all the non-towered airports. Outside them, the floor is 1200AGL (except when above 10,000MSL). If you see small dashed magenta (looks like a class D but is magenta, not blue), this is a class E surface area and, as the name implies, extends to the ground. These are rare and are for non-towered airports that also have an approach. So the areas between the fat magenta areas are class G up to 1200 while inside the fat magenta lines it's class G only up to 700AGL (except for the class E surface areas). - Class E airports DO NOT have to have an instrument procedure. Class D airspace only requires two-way radio comms, not a clearance. This is also true for class C. The big distinction between class D and class C is class C has an approach control. - The 30NM magenta ring is the class B mode C veil and has nothing to do with class C airspace. - Student pilots actually are able to fly in class B but they need an endorsement from their CFI. Even with the endorsement, there are several class B's that prohibit any student pilots. These include KORD, KATL, KLAX, KSFO and several other big class B's. The prohibited list also includes KADW - Andrews AFB - as this is where Airforce 1 usually operates out of. - It used to be that, above FL600 was uncontrolled but in fact it is strictly controlled and is now listed as class E airspace. Still, you need a very special clearance and special handling to operate above FL600. This is usually for things like Global Hawk, U2, NASA, the SR-71 when it was flying and space craft. Above FL600 you use 5000' vertical separation and each of the main levels (FL600, FL700, FL800, FL900) are coded. The codes are changed every 45 days or so and are random letters such as C-G-T-S, corresponding to each of the main flight levels. If you ask a Global Hawk his altitude and he's, say, at 75,000, he would respond "Golf plus 5" - usually we just never asked their altitudes if we could avoid it!
watching this again, and thinking how fantastic would it be to have airspaces shown in 3D, but it turns out there are tons of resources already. Great :)
Very well done and concise. Thanks again so much. One question left for me after watching: ATC advices you to climb to 13.000 ft after choosing IFR Flight plan following. Is that realistic? I often have the impression that this height is way over anything possible for a small GA Plane. Is that a buggy ATC or is there something i misunderstand?
In MSFS, if you request an IFR clearance, you will be assigned an altitude. If you file a flight plan, it will usually be the altitude you requested but your route of flight may necessitate a different altitude. As for what MSFS ATC gives you, that is the topic of MUCH discussion on the forum. ATC in MSFS is VERY erratic in their altitude assignments! You may very well get unrealistic climbs or descents into terrain, though it seems to be getting a bit better with each update. If you instead ask for VFR flight following you will be given a squawk code and radar contact but not be assigned an altitude - usually. If you are getting flight following to go into or through class B then you may be given an altitude or heading that is different than what you requested.
thank you for the interesting video. Are you familiar with the youtuber @quill18 ? Your voices are incredibly similar to me, especially the high spikes and laughs ;)
I've been wanting this one. Thanks for all you've done with Command and MSFS.
Nice work on a difficult topic. A few notes:
- Class G is not 700 to 1200. It is surface up to 700AGL OR up to 1200AGL (1500AGL when above 10,000MSL). Class E is everything else that's not below 1500AGL or above FL180 and not a class B, C or D. Those fat magenta areas are where the class E floor drops to above 700AGL. These areas are around all the non-towered airports. Outside them, the floor is 1200AGL (except when above 10,000MSL). If you see small dashed magenta (looks like a class D but is magenta, not blue), this is a class E surface area and, as the name implies, extends to the ground. These are rare and are for non-towered airports that also have an approach. So the areas between the fat magenta areas are class G up to 1200 while inside the fat magenta lines it's class G only up to 700AGL (except for the class E surface areas).
- Class E airports DO NOT have to have an instrument procedure. Class D airspace only requires two-way radio comms, not a clearance. This is also true for class C. The big distinction between class D and class C is class C has an approach control.
- The 30NM magenta ring is the class B mode C veil and has nothing to do with class C airspace.
- Student pilots actually are able to fly in class B but they need an endorsement from their CFI. Even with the endorsement, there are several class B's that prohibit any student pilots. These include KORD, KATL, KLAX, KSFO and several other big class B's. The prohibited list also includes KADW - Andrews AFB - as this is where Airforce 1 usually operates out of.
- It used to be that, above FL600 was uncontrolled but in fact it is strictly controlled and is now listed as class E airspace. Still, you need a very special clearance and special handling to operate above FL600. This is usually for things like Global Hawk, U2, NASA, the SR-71 when it was flying and space craft. Above FL600 you use 5000' vertical separation and each of the main levels (FL600, FL700, FL800, FL900) are coded. The codes are changed every 45 days or so and are random letters such as C-G-T-S, corresponding to each of the main flight levels. If you ask a Global Hawk his altitude and he's, say, at 75,000, he would respond "Golf plus 5" - usually we just never asked their altitudes if we could avoid it!
Not the sexiest topic, but necessary to understand. Your demo explains airspace in a clear and logical way. Thanks for the lesson!!
watching this again, and thinking how fantastic would it be to have airspaces shown in 3D, but it turns out there are tons of resources already. Great :)
Thank you for the explanations and demonstration of ATC in MSFS.
Very well done and concise. Thanks again so much. One question left for me after watching: ATC advices you to climb to 13.000 ft after choosing IFR Flight plan following. Is that realistic? I often have the impression that this height is way over anything possible for a small GA Plane. Is that a buggy ATC or is there something i misunderstand?
In MSFS, if you request an IFR clearance, you will be assigned an altitude. If you file a flight plan, it will usually be the altitude you requested but your route of flight may necessitate a different altitude. As for what MSFS ATC gives you, that is the topic of MUCH discussion on the forum. ATC in MSFS is VERY erratic in their altitude assignments! You may very well get unrealistic climbs or descents into terrain, though it seems to be getting a bit better with each update. If you instead ask for VFR flight following you will be given a squawk code and radar contact but not be assigned an altitude - usually. If you are getting flight following to go into or through class B then you may be given an altitude or heading that is different than what you requested.
thank you for the interesting video. Are you familiar with the youtuber @quill18 ? Your voices are incredibly similar to me, especially the high spikes and laughs ;)
Please make a tutorial on the Boeing 787! Thanks
You can get the freeware SkyVector moving map application at flightsim.to