Overview of Class A Airspace Regulations

Hey guys, John from fly8michaelpha.com and today we're going to be reviewing Class A airspace, where it is, how we would get into it, and what all we need on board our aircraft and what sort of permission we need to get into Class A airspace. We'll get right to it. So what we're looking at here is a sectional chart. We can see some Class C airspace that starts at 700 feet AGL. We can see some Class C airspace, Class C airspace starting at the surface, some Class D airspace, but where's the Class A airspace? Well, Class A airspace, we are looking at it. It covers everything. It just starts at 18,000 feet, flight level 180. And it includes 18,000 feet all the way up to flight level 600, 60,000 feet. And so when we look at the world here, we can see that it covers the entire world. Just below 18,000 feet, there's going to be some different types of airspace. So this is where we're going to find Class A airspace. And as far as going into Class A airspace, you're going to need an ATC clearance. You're going to need to be IFR certified, capable, and qualified. And your airplane is going to need to meet those specific equipment requirements. You have to be on an IFR flight plan to go into Class A airspace. You're definitely going to need a transponder to go into Class A airspace. So that's one of the places you'll need a transponder on board your aircraft. And you're going to need to set your altimeter to 2.9 or 2.9. We use flight levels above 18,000 feet. So when we say we're at 17,000 feet, That's okay. We would never say that we're at 19,000 feet. We would say flight level 190. We would never say we're at 24,000 feet or 24,000, 24,000 feet. We'd say we're at flight level 240. So we use flight levels above 18,000. And we use that standard altimeter setting above 18,000 feet. That way aircraft flying across the country don't have to reset their altimeter so often. To maintain adequate separation, we just all use 290.902 and that gives us good altitude separation. So we're using pressure altitude to fly at rather than the actual altitude or true altitude.

We can see some Class C airspace, Class C airspace starting at the surface, some Class D airspace, but where's the Class A airspace? Well, Class A airspace, we are looking at it. It covers everything. It just starts at 18,000 feet, flight level 180. And it includes 18,000 feet all the way up to flight level 600, 60,000 feet. And so when we look at the world here, we can see that it covers the entire world.

Just below 18,000 feet, there's going to be some different types of airspace. So this is where we're going to find Class A airspace. And as far as going into Class A airspace, you're going to need an ATC clearance. You're going to need to be IFR certified, capable, and qualified. And your airplane is going to need to meet those specific equipment requirements.

You have to be on an IFR flight plan to go into Class A airspace. You're definitely going to need a transponder to go into Class A airspace. So that's one of the places you'll need a transponder on board your aircraft. And you're going to need to set your altimeter to 2.9 or 2.9. We use flight levels above 18,000 feet.

So when we say we're at 17,000 feet, That's okay. We would never say that we're at 19,000 feet. We would say flight level 190. We would never say we're at 24,000 feet or 24,000, 24,000 feet.

We'd say we're at flight level 240. So we use flight levels above 18,000. And we use that standard altimeter setting above 18,000 feet. That way aircraft flying across the country don't have to reset their altimeter so often. To maintain adequate separation, we just all use 290.902 and that gives us good altitude separation. So we're using pressure altitude to fly at rather than the actual altitude or true altitude.

Transcript for:Overview of Class A Airspace Regulations

Transcript for:
Overview of Class A Airspace Regulations