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Class B Airspace—A Pilot’s Guide

November 4, 2024/in Tips and technique/by Paul Jurgens

Class B airspace begins at the surface in the area surrounding the primary airport. As you move further from the primary airport, layers or shelves that start above the surface will be found. The shape of the surface area and layers are tailored to the individual airport and the instrument approach corridors to its runways.

FAA Introduces New Rules for CFIs Effective December 1

November 1, 2024/in News, Regulations/by Eric Radtke

Big changes are coming for certified flight instructors on December 1, 2024. While it’s been widely publicized that CFIs will no longer have an expiration date associated with their certificate under the new rules, CFIs are required to maintain recent flight instruction activity or participate in a flight instructor refresher course (FIRC) at least every 24 months. Failure to document and apply for recency will have the same effect as a CFI expiring.

Class B Airspace—A Pilot’s Guide

November 4, 2024/in Tips and technique/by Paul Jurgens

FAA Introduces New Rules for CFIs Effective December 1

November 1, 2024/in News, Regulations/by Eric Radtke

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Class B Airspace—A Pilot’s Guide

November 4, 2024/in Tips and technique/by Paul Jurgens

It looks big! It looks scary! While Class B airspace may look like both of these things, it can actually be an exciting place to fly. You just need to understand and follow the rules for this airspace.

What’s in this article?

Class B Basics
Class B Airspace Dimensions
Minimum Pilot Certification for Class B Airspace
Minimum Equipment for Class B Airspace
Class B Speed Limitations
Getting Around and Through Class B Airspace

Class B Basics

Yes, it is true that Class B airspace surrounds some of the busiest airports. While there are often variations that are specific to the location, there are also commonalities found between the various Class B airspace areas.

Like other types of airspace, Class B is considered regulatory in nature. It is defined within the regulations and there are requirements within the regulations that must be met.

Class B can also be defined as controlled airspace. An ATC clearance is required for operations within Class B airspace. Unless superseded by §91.131, the Class D airspace rules found in §91.129 must also be followed.

Large turbine engine powered airplanes are not permitted to operate below the Class B airspace when en route to or from the primary airport within the airspace. This keeps them within or above the airspace during their arrival and departure.

Class B Airspace Dimensions

There is also an area surrounding the Class B airspace where certain equipment is required even if not flying into the Class B airspace. The equipment will be discussed below. The equipment requirement generally goes out to a 30 nautical mile radius around the primary airport.

Minimum Pilot Certification for Class B Airspace

Due to the complexity of the airspace, the FAA requires you to have a minimum level of certification or a minimum amount of training and an endorsement in order to fly within Class B airspace.

At least one of the following minimum pilot requirements must be true to act as pilot in command within Class B airspace, or takeoff or land at an airport within Class B airspace:

Hold a private pilot certificate.
Hold a recreational pilot certificate and have met the training and endorsement requirements in 61.101(d).
Hold a sport pilot certificate and have met the training and endorsement requirements in 61.325.
Hold a student pilot certificate and have met the training and endorsement requirements in 61.94 or §61.95.

Beyond those requirements, taking off or landing at an airport listed in 14 CFR Part 91 Appendix D requires the pilot in command to hold at least a private pilot certificate. The listed airports are the primary airports within Class B airspace areas.

Minimum Equipment for Class B Airspace

All operations within Class B airspace require an operable two-way radio capable of communicating with ATC on the airspace’s frequencies. A transponder with altitude reporting and an approved ADS-B out transmitter are also required for all operations.

With few exceptions, the transponder and ADS-B units must also be operable within 30 nautical miles of the primary airport within the Class B airspace, even when not entering the Class B airspace.

IFR operations require an operable VOR or TACAN receiver or a suitable RNAV system.

Class B Speed Limitations

Aircraft flying within the Class B airspace may fly at an indicated airspeed of up to 250 knots. If flying below a Class B layer or within a VFR corridor through the Class B, the aircraft is limited to an indicated airspeed of 200 knots.

Getting Around and Through Class B Airspace

Charted VFR Flyways were created so that pilots could travel safely in areas heavily traversed by large turbine-powered aircraft. These flyways help the pilot plan flights into, out of, through, and near complex terminal airspace, avoiding altogether flying into Class B airspace. VFR Flyway Planning Charts are printed on the reverse sides of most paper Terminal Area Charts (TACs) and may be found in many popular EFB apps.

Pilot compliance with recommended flyways and associated altitudes is strictly voluntary.

VFR Corridors are like a tunnel through the Class B. An aircraft can operate in these corridors without a clearance from or communication with ATC. However, pilots need to ensure that they are where they should be and haven’t mistakenly flown out of the corridor and into controlled airspace. An example of a VFR Corridor can be found in the Los Angeles SFRA. The corridor allows piston airplanes flying VFR to fly directly over the Los Angeles Int’l Airport (LAX) and through the Class B tunnel without talking to ATC or receiving a clearance.

VFR Corridors are similar to VFR flyways except that they have specific vertical and lateral boundaries which must be followed by all participating aircraft. Because of the high volume of traffic in Class B, it is necessary to fly these corridors with extreme caution. An example of this can be found in the San Diego Class B airspace, where there is a gap in the depicted Class B altitudes between 3,300’ MSL and 4,700’ MSL over the San Diego Int’l Airport (SAN). VFR Corridors, when available, will be specified on the appropriate TAC.

Class B airspace Transition Routes are similar, except that an ATC clearance is required. They are specific flight courses depicted on some TACs for transiting the Class B airspace. Unlike the former published VFR routes, transition routes include specific ATC assigned altitudes. Here are a few examples published on the Seattle Class B TAC.

On initial contact with ATC, pilots should give them their position, altitude, route name desired, and direction of flight.

Conclusion

While Class B airspace can be big and it can be scary, proper preflight preparation and an understanding of the rules, can shrink it down and make it a little less frightening in the mind of the prepared pilot.

Fly and stay safe!

FAA Introduces New Rules for CFIs Effective December 1

November 1, 2024/in News, Regulations/by Eric Radtke

CFIs now required to document recency every 24 months

Instead of renewing, CFIs will be required to document recency every 24 months via IACRA.

What’s in the article?

Why the change?
What is changing?
CFI Recent Experience Requirements
CFI Reinstatement Options—New Three-Month Grace Period
Qualifications for Training Initial Flight Instructor Candidates
For more information

Why the change?

According to the FAA, this change better aligns the CFI certificate with other certifications and reduces the administrative burden associated with certificate renewals while ensuring that CFIs remain active and engaged in aviation education activities.

What is changing?

To keep their certification current, CFIs must now meet specific activity-based requirements.

To keep their certification current, CFIs must meet specific activity-based requirements, such as providing a minimum number of endorsements or completing a Flight Instructor Refresher Course (FIRC) every 24 calendar months. The changes also add a new method for flight instructors to establish recent experience by serving as a flight instructor in an FAA-sponsored pilot proficiency program (WINGS).

CFI certificates issued before December 1, 2024, will still have expiration dates printed on the certificate that remain in effect until the end of the expiration calendar month. At the next renewal, CFIs will then receive a certificate without an expiration date and must comply with the recent experience end date requirements every 24 calendar months.

CFIs who do not meet the renewal requirements within 24 calendar months will lose their ability to instruct, but they can restore their instructor privileges by completing a FIRC within a new 3-month grace period (three months beyond their currency expiration). Beyond the 3-calendar month grace period, CFIs will have to follow the existing reinstatement options which is completing a practical exam.

It’s worth noting that, effective December 1, 2024, all CFIs may take advantage of the a 3-month reinstatement period even if an expiration date is printed on their certificate.

The new rule also adds two new options for CFIs to qualify to train initial CFI candidates. The first new option is based on training and endorsing successful applicants for practical tests. The second new option as a method of qualification by completion of a flight instructor enhanced qualification training program (FIEQTP) designed to prepare flight instructors to train initial flight instructor applicants.

CFI Recent Experience Requirements

The new CFI rule retains the current methods for flight instructor certificate renewal, as specified in § 61.197, but refers to them as flight instructor recent experience requirements as CFI certificates will no longer have an expiration date tied to their certificate. Instead of renewing their flight instructor certificate every 24 calendar months, a flight instructor will need to establish recent experience at least once every 24 calendar months.

CFIs will still be required to submit an Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application (8710), along with associated documentation to the FAA upon completing the recent experience requirements. The 8710 will still need to be validated by a certifying official (DPE, ACR, FAA). The submission of the 8710 via IACRA remains the only method for a flight instructor to submit their data to the FAA to validate and track the flight instructor’s recent experience. Failure to document this recent experience will have the same effect as a CFI expiring and requires resinstatement.

CFI Reinstatement Options—New Three-Month Grace Period

Currently, § 61.199 prescribes the requirements for those who wish to reinstate their expired flight instructor certificates. These include (1) satisfactory completion of a flight instructor certification practical test as per § 61.183 for one of the ratings on the expired flight instructor certificate, or (2) satisfactory completion of a flight instructor certification practical test for an additional rating.

The new rules retain all former reinstatement options, now relocated in § 61.199(a)(2) and (3), for flight instructors seeking to reinstate their privileges when they have not reestablished recent experience prior to the last month of their flight instructor recent experience period.

Additionally, the rule adds a new reinstatement option in § 61.199(a)(1) creating a three-calendar-month reinstatement period (grace period) immediately after lapse of the flight instructor’s recent experience period. During the three-calendar month grace period, flight instructors can reinstate their privileges by completing an FAA-approved FIRC and submitting an 8710 via IACRA; however, CFIs are not permitted to exercise the privileges of the flight instructor certificate during this grace period.

Qualifications for Teaching Initial CFI Candidates

The new CFI rule provides three different qualification options for CFIs teaching initial CFI applicants.

The new CFI rule provides three different qualification options for CFIs teaching initial CFI applicants. The first option retains the existing requirements of current § 61.195 which include the requirements for the flight instructor to have held the flight instructor certificate for at least 24 calendar months and to have given at least 200 hours of flight training as a flight instructor.

The second qualification option modifies the previous § 61.195(h)(3). Previously, § 61.195 allowed a person to serve as a flight instructor in an FAA-approved course for initial flight instructor applicants if that person had trained and endorsed at least five applicants for a practical test, at least 80 percent of those applicants passed on their first attempt, and the flight instructor has given at least 400 hours of flight training.

This new rule modifies these requirements in the new § 61.195(h)(2)(ii) by removing the minimum flight training hour requirement (400 hours) and removing the requirement for the flight instructor to be serving in an FAA-approved course. Section 61.195(h)(2)(ii) now requires a flight instructor to have trained and endorsed, in the preceding 24 calendar months, at least five applicants for a practical test for a pilot certificate or rating, and at least 80 percent of those applicants must have passed that test on their first attempt.

For the third qualification, a flight instructor must have graduated from an FAA-approved flight instructor enhanced qualification training program (FIEQTP). Additionally, they must have given at least 200 hours of flight training as a flight instructor before being eligible to complete the FIEQTP.

Additionally, to allow part 141 pilot schools to provide the FIEQTP, the FAA is revising § 141.11 by adding the training program to the list of special preparation courses. The FAA is also adding the new training program to appendix K of part 141, which prescribes the minimum curriculum for the special preparation courses.

For More Information

The new rule was published in the Federal Register and takes effect December 1, 2024. The rule can be found here.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Class B Airspace—A Pilot’s Guide

FAA Introduces New Rules for CFIs Effective December 1

Class B Airspace—A Pilot’s Guide

FAA Introduces New Rules for CFIs Effective December 1

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Class B Airspace—A Pilot’s Guide

What’s in this article?

Class B Basics

Class B Airspace Dimensions

Minimum Pilot Certification for Class B Airspace

Minimum Equipment for Class B Airspace

Class B Speed Limitations

Getting Around and Through Class B Airspace

Conclusion

FAA Introduces New Rules for CFIs Effective December 1

CFIs now required to document recency every 24 months

Why the change?

What is changing?

CFI Recent Experience Requirements

CFI Reinstatement Options—New Three-Month Grace Period

Qualifications for Teaching Initial CFI Candidates

For More Information

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