Lois Larson
Class E airspace is the most common type of airspace in the United States, but it is often poorly understood. It is a controlled airspace, where IFR aircraft are controlled by ATC, but VFR aircraft are not required to be in contact with ATC. Class E airspace typically starts at 1,200 feet AGL, but in some areas, it can start at ground level, 700 feet AGL, or another specified altitude. All airspace above FL600 (60,000 feet) is designated as Class E. Class E airspace is often surrounded by a Class E transition area, which provides protection for aircraft transitioning into or out of airport areas.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | The most common type of airspace in the United States, but it's often the least understood. |
| Controlled airspace | Yes, but no need for ATC clearance to fly in it. |
| IFR aircraft | Controlled by ATC. |
| VFR aircraft | Not required to be in contact with ATC. |
| VFR weather minimums | Give IFR and VFR aircraft enough time to see and avoid each other. |
| Class E transition area | The Class E floor drops down to 700 feet AGL. |
| Class E surface areas | Often in place to protect precision instrument approaches. |
| Class E extensions | Protect approaches and departures to and from airport runways. |
| Appearance on sectional charts | Fuzzy blue borders. |
| Towered airports | Fort Collins (KFNL) has a tower with class E airspace. |
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What You'll Learn
Class E airspace boundaries
Class E airspace is the most common type of airspace in the United States, but it is often the least understood. It is considered "controlled airspace", where IFR aircraft are controlled by ATC. However, VFR aircraft are not required to be in contact with ATC and can fly in Class E airspace without ATC clearance.
Class E airspace typically doesn't reach the ground, and its boundaries can vary. In flat areas, the lowest part of Class E airspace usually starts at 700 feet or 1,200 feet above ground level (AGL). This is known as en route Class E airspace and appears inside fuzzy blue borders on sectional charts. In a Class E transition area, the floor drops down to 700 feet AGL, and this can be identified on a sectional map by a broad magenta line that is fuzzy on the inner side. This often surrounds individual airports or groups of airports to protect aircraft on approach or departure.
In some cases, the surface area for an airport is designated as Class E airspace, which can be identified by a dashed magenta line or circle around the airport. This is known as surface Class E airspace and is in place to protect precision instrument approaches. These areas are required to have a weather station and the ability for aircraft to contact ATC from the ground.
The ceiling of Class E airspace always ends at 17,999 feet above sea level (MSL). Above this, you enter Class A airspace, which is used by commercial airliners and other high-altitude flights.
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Class E transition areas
Class E is the most common type of airspace in the United States, but it is also the least understood. Class E airspace is typically found around individual airports or groups of airports.
Within the transitional area circle, Class E starts at 700 feet AGL. Outside of the transitional area, Class E airspace starts at 1,200 AGL unless otherwise designated. Depending on the terrain and the rate of climb capabilities of the aircraft using the airport, the transitional area may include irregularly shaped extensions connecting to the circular transitional area. This provides enough protected airspace for IFR planes to climb up to a safe altitude. In certain areas, Class E airspace starts right at ground level, providing maximum protection for arriving IFR aircraft on cloudy days at airports without a control tower.
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Class E surface areas
The establishment of Class E surface areas is closely associated with the presence of a control tower. Airports with Class E surface areas are mandated to have a weather station and facilitate ground-based communication with Air Traffic Control (ATC) for aircraft. While IFR traffic in Class E airspace is controlled by ATC, VFR aircraft are not required to maintain constant contact with ATC. However, VFR weather minimums are in place to ensure that both IFR and VFR pilots have sufficient time to see and avoid each other.
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IFR and VFR aircraft rules
Class E is the most common type of airspace in the United States, but it is often the least understood. Class E airspace is controlled airspace, and IFR aircraft are controlled by ATC. IFR, or Instrument Flight Rules, is one of two sets of regulations governing all aspects of civil aviation aircraft operations. The other is VFR, or Visual Flight Rules.
IFR regulations deal with "instrument flight rules", and VFR refers to the parts of the regulations that deal with flying visually. IFR aircraft must operate on an ATC clearance, so the airspace is controlled. VFR aircraft are not required to be in contact with ATC.
VFR pilots must maintain the ability to fly visually. They cannot operate in clouds or low visibility and must avoid operating too closely to clouds, as there might be fast-moving IFR aircraft going in and out of those clouds. VFR pilots may use cockpit instruments as secondary aids to navigation and orientation, but the view outside of the aircraft is the primary source for keeping the aircraft straight and level.
IFR allows an aircraft to operate in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), which is any weather condition less than VMC but in which aircraft can still operate safely. IFR also allows an aircraft to depart in weather that is less than required for VFR, and enter the clouds once the IFR clearance has been received. IFR allows pilots to get above the clouds to smoother air, above terrain and obstacles, and above much of the traffic.
In Class E airspace, the VFR weather minimums give both IFR and VFR aircraft enough time to see and avoid each other.
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Towered class E airports
Class E is the most common type of airspace in the United States, but it is often the least understood. Class E airspace is controlled airspace where Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft are controlled by Air Traffic Control (ATC). This might be a centre facility (Air Route Traffic Control Centre) or an approach/departure facility. As a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) aircraft, you are not required to be in contact with ATC, but IFR aircraft must operate on an ATC clearance.
Class E airspace is nearly always surrounded by a Class E transition area, so the airspace mimics the wedding-cake shelves of Class C and B airspace. It's just a much less-controlled version of those types of airspace. Class E surface areas are often in place to protect precision instrument approaches. You'll also commonly find Class E surface areas with rectangular extensions for approach and departure procedures. All airports with Class E surface areas are required to have a weather station and the ability for aircraft to contact ATC from the ground.
In the vast majority of areas, there are enough airports and victor airways to have Class E begin at 1,200 feet above ground level (AGL). This is known as en route Class E airspace. On a sectional, it appears inside fuzzy blue borders. In a Class E transition area, the Class E floor drops down to 700 feet AGL. On a sectional map, you can find these transition areas by looking for a broad magenta line that is fuzzy on the inner side. It often surrounds individual airports or groups of airports.
Some Class E airspace isn't circular, and many Class E transition areas have rectangular areas jutting off the airspace. These extensions protect approaches and departures to and from airport runways. They also extend Class E airspace to protect aircraft transitioning into or out of airport areas from en route waypoints such as VORs.
In the 1990s, the FAA brought back the provision to put towers in E/G airspace and enforce pilots to use them. This was due to the establishment of a control tower proceeding faster than the establishment of controlled airspace.
In terms of towered Class E airports, pilots have noted that they have generally considered towered airports to be in Class D/C/B. However, one pilot noted that Fort Collins (KFNL) has a tower with Class E airspace (magenta circle, no airspace ceiling). They also noted that there is a military helicopter base near Tucson, AZ with a Class E tower.
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Frequently asked questions
Class E airspace is considered controlled airspace, but ATC clearance is not required to fly in it. Class E airspace is used to protect aircraft transitioning in or out of airport areas.
AGL stands for Above Ground Level.
Class G airspace is uncontrolled, whereas Class E is controlled. Class G is referred to as Class Golf airspace while Class E is called Class Echo.
ATC stands for Air Traffic Control.
Fort Collins (KFNL) is an example of an airport with a tower and Class E airspace.
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