Best Way To Learn Airspaces
- Thread starter Tooloe
- Start date
What are you trying to learn about it? Contact requirements to enter? Weather for the VFR pilot cloud clearance reqs? Equipment needed? Dimensions?
I would say notecards for all of it. Memorize it that way first. Then look for links between items. Link it to stuff you know, even if it is completely stupid stuff, if you link it to something you know your chances of remembering it will double.
R
Roger, Roger
Guest
I have a nice speech I give about VFR cloud clearances and visibilities.
Believe it or not, there is a method to the madness.
I'm too lazy to type it up right now though.
Believe it or not, there is a method to the madness.
I'm too lazy to type it up right now though.
nocturnalaviator
AI Jedi
nocturnalaviator
AI Jedi
Dude, if you have an MP3 player, (who doesn't nowadays) a microphone (laptop works), make an audio file of you spouting off various info on each airspace classification ex: A,B,C,D,E,G (F? lol) anyway, make each airspace class its own file (chapter). Then, when you're in your car, or the woman starts drivin' you nuts etc. put on your Bose QC3 headphones to show some "Im better than you" status, and let the info sink in! Or write on a whiteboard and put it on a wall where you pass frequently. Study in different rooms. Different environments help. I never finished college, but I found that helpful at ERAU, oh that explains why!! :bandit:
scooter2525
Very well Member
Grab a sectional and find all the airspaces and repeatedly go through whatever it is your trying to learn.
nocturnalaviator
AI Jedi
..Or if you're computer savy make a powerpoint. OneNote is a great application as well!
crazyjaydawg
Well-Known Member
Hopefully you did well.
AOPA has some very nice notecards that explain pretty much everything you need to know.
Hell I'll tell ya...3sm, 1,000 above and 500 below. If you remember that you're golden
I think this is what roger was going to get at, group them into their requirements.
N/A = Class A
CoC/1 mi = Class G (Under 1,200 AGL|Regardless of MSL) Day
CoC/3 mi = Blass B
500/1000/2000/1 mi = Class G (Above 1,200 AGL|Under 10,000 MSL) Day
500/1000/2000/3 mi = Class C, D, E & Class G Night*
1000/1000/1/5 mi = Class G (Above 1,200 AGL|Above 10,000 MSL)
You might find it easier to know these if you organize it in that format. As someone else said, the 512 rule works for a majority, including both night class G requirements. Then all you are left to remember is:
Class G day:
Class G day under 1,200 AGL regardless of MSL is CoC/3 miles. Next we move up to above 1,2000 AGL which has two separate restrictions, below and above 10,000 MSL. If we are above 1,200 AGL and under 10,000 MSL we it's 512 and 1 mile. Same thing, but above 10,000 MSL is the only weird one, 1000/1000/1 mile and 5 miles visibility.
So you see, it is all pretty organized with only a few stragglers. Of that, the only difficult section is Class G during the day. If you can memorize Class G day you are set. Good luck.
N/A = Class A
CoC/1 mi = Class G (Under 1,200 AGL|Regardless of MSL) Day
CoC/3 mi = Blass B
500/1000/2000/1 mi = Class G (Above 1,200 AGL|Under 10,000 MSL) Day
500/1000/2000/3 mi = Class C, D, E & Class G Night*
1000/1000/1/5 mi = Class G (Above 1,200 AGL|Above 10,000 MSL)
You might find it easier to know these if you organize it in that format. As someone else said, the 512 rule works for a majority, including both night class G requirements. Then all you are left to remember is:
Class G day:
Class G day under 1,200 AGL regardless of MSL is CoC/3 miles. Next we move up to above 1,2000 AGL which has two separate restrictions, below and above 10,000 MSL. If we are above 1,200 AGL and under 10,000 MSL we it's 512 and 1 mile. Same thing, but above 10,000 MSL is the only weird one, 1000/1000/1 mile and 5 miles visibility.
So you see, it is all pretty organized with only a few stragglers. Of that, the only difficult section is Class G during the day. If you can memorize Class G day you are set. Good luck.
OhioStatePilot
Well-Known Member
Hell I'll tell ya...3sm, 1,000 above and 500 below. If you remember that you're golden
Yeah, that pretty much got me through VFR cloud clearance requirements.
3 - 152's: 3 miles; 1,000' above; 500' below; 2,000' horizontal.
that and
5 - 111: 5 miles; 1,000' above; 1,000' below; 1 sm horizontal.
iceman21
Well-Known Member
Chose the class you want to learn most about and subsequently bust that airspace :rawk:
Most mp3 players have a record function too.
TangoSix
Well-Known Member
R
Roger, Roger
Guest
Controlled airspace below 10,000:
Always 3 SM visibility. VFR aircraft need enough visibility to not hit IFR aircraft.
Uncontrolled airspace below 10,000:
Always 1 SM visibility in the daytime. 3 SM at night matches everything else and is easy to remember.
10,000-FL180:
5 SM visibilty. The speed limit goes away at 10,000, therefore we need more visibility to avoid IFR aircraft operating >250 KIAS.
Now for cloud clearances.
Uncontrolled airspace <1200 AGL:
Minimum IFR enroute altitude is typically 1000' above obstacles, so given that towers will be at least 200' tall in any area, you shouldn't find enroute IFR aircraft in uncontrolled airspace below 1200 AGL. This means you can go as close to clouds as you want, or clear of clouds. However, once you get
>1200' AGL in uncontrolled airspace:
Someone could legally be flying IFR here, so you need to be 1-5-2 from clouds to keep from surprising them.
>10,000' MSL-FL180 in any airspace:
Again, no speed limit, so you need 1-1-1 from clouds to keep from having that 767 climbing at 300 KIAS pop out of a cloud 2000' from you.
Controlled airspace (CDE) below 10,000' is all 1-5-2 except...
Class Bravo has clear of clouds because (in general) you MUST be operating under radar control. Therefore, you won't surprise anyone when they come out of a cloud.
As you can see, it sort of makes sense when you understand controlled vs. uncontrolled airspace, and that those weather minima are designed to keep you from surprising IFR aircraft.
Always 3 SM visibility. VFR aircraft need enough visibility to not hit IFR aircraft.
Uncontrolled airspace below 10,000:
Always 1 SM visibility in the daytime. 3 SM at night matches everything else and is easy to remember.
10,000-FL180:
5 SM visibilty. The speed limit goes away at 10,000, therefore we need more visibility to avoid IFR aircraft operating >250 KIAS.
Now for cloud clearances.
Uncontrolled airspace <1200 AGL:
Minimum IFR enroute altitude is typically 1000' above obstacles, so given that towers will be at least 200' tall in any area, you shouldn't find enroute IFR aircraft in uncontrolled airspace below 1200 AGL. This means you can go as close to clouds as you want, or clear of clouds. However, once you get
>1200' AGL in uncontrolled airspace:
Someone could legally be flying IFR here, so you need to be 1-5-2 from clouds to keep from surprising them.
>10,000' MSL-FL180 in any airspace:
Again, no speed limit, so you need 1-1-1 from clouds to keep from having that 767 climbing at 300 KIAS pop out of a cloud 2000' from you.
Controlled airspace (CDE) below 10,000' is all 1-5-2 except...
Class Bravo has clear of clouds because (in general) you MUST be operating under radar control. Therefore, you won't surprise anyone when they come out of a cloud.
As you can see, it sort of makes sense when you understand controlled vs. uncontrolled airspace, and that those weather minima are designed to keep you from surprising IFR aircraft.
OhioStatePilot
Well-Known Member
That's a great write-up Roger. It's crystal clear and I wish it was explained that way to me when I first started flying!
Alinator
New Member
I always found memorizing the airspace to be difficult...until someone showed me the 'airspace pyramid'. I can draw you one in a matter of 60 seconds, but getting it on JC is an entirely different matter. It really works though, if you can grab a copy it will most likely prove invaluable.
drunkenbeagle
Gang Member
1mi CoC day if you request SVFR, you may be asked that on an Oral (I was).