U.S. Airspace
You are responsible for understanding the basics of U.S. Airspace for your primary checkride. The basics include understanding the difference between the different types of airspace, their requirements, and the associated weather minimums. This tutorial will include an introduction to airspace and their associated requirements.
Categories of Airspace
There are two categories of airspace or airspace areas: regulatory and nonregulatory.
- Regulatory airspace includes Restricted, Prohibited, Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace.
- Nonregulatory airspace includes MOAs (military operations area), warning areas, alert areas, and controlled firing areas.
Four Types of Airspace
Within the two categories of airspace, there are four types of airspace:
1. Controlled
2. Uncontrolled
3. Special Use
4. Other Airspace
The categories and types of airspace are dictated by:
1. The complexity or density of aircraft movements
2. The nature of the operations conducted within the airspace
3. The level of safety required
4. The national and public interest
Basic VFR Weather Minimums
Explanation: You may be asked, "When or how do you know when the field is VFR?" There is no direct reference for this question. However, the AIMs (Airmen's Information Manual) tells us that "no person may operate an aircraft beneath the ceiling under VFR within the lateral boundaries of controlled airspace designated to the surface for an airport when the ceiling is less than 1000 feet." Whew, who writes this stuff? In normal language, if you are in one of the controlled airspace areas (listed above) then you have to have a ceiling of at least 1000 feet to be VFR. However, there is another caveat. The AIMs also says that you can't operate an aircraft under VFR "when the flight visibility is less, or at a distance from the clouds that is less, than the prescribed for the corresponding altitude and class of airspace." So what does that mean? Civilian pilots are provided with Table 3-1-1 in the AIMs that tells them what the minimum ceiling and visibility is for each type of airspace. As an Army Aviator, you will refer to the AR 95-1 for your basic weather minimums. AR 95-1 lists these requirements in Table 5-1. If you take a look at this table, you will discover that the required flight visibility in controlled airspace is 3 miles as long as you are under 10,000 feet.
Short Answer: So, if your instructor asks you, "when do you know it is VFR?" The short answer is, "When the ceiling is at least 1000 feet and the visibility is at least 3 miles."
VFR Cruising Altitudes
If you are flying a heading between 0 and 179 degrees, and your altitude is greater than 3000 feet MSL but below 18,000 feet MSL: Cruising altitudes are odd thousands plus 500 feet (i.e., 3500, 5500, 7500 MSL).
If you are flying a heading between 180 and 359 degrees, and your altitude is greater than 3000 feet MSL but below 18,000 feet MSL: Cruising altitudes are even thousands plus 500 feet (i.e., 4500, 6500, 8500 MSL).
Although some Army helicopters have the ability to fly above 18,000 feet MSL, none will cruise at those altitudes. There is an old saying that can help you remember whether your aircraft heading is an odd or even altitude, "East is least and West is best." In other words, if you are flying an easterly heading, 1000 feet is less than 2000 feet. So you should fly an odd altitude plus 500 feet.
