Questions about Class E / G airspace.

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I am a future (possibly, hopefully, testing Friday) certified 107 license holder.

I think I have a firm grasp on airspace, but there is something I just don't see the logic in.

Why doesn't ALL Class E airspace extend to the surface? I am talking about the small airports, Class E, that have no dashed lines, that indicate the floor is the surface.

Class E floor starts at 700' AGL around small airports, 1200' AGL most other places, excluding B, C, E?

Below Class E is Class G, ceiling at 699' AGL or 1199' AGL depending on location?

Am I right in the fact that as 107 license holder you can fly within Class G, (under 400' AGL, or 400' above structures, obviously)???

This sounds stupid, does that mean I can just fly my UAV directly over the airport, staying under 400' AGL? Surely not, but I can't find anything that says otherwise.

Maybe there is something I have missed in all of the FAA alphabet soup I have been studying.

Please help me understand.... Thanks.
 

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Let me see if I can help. Here's a way to remember.

Class G is for Ground, when not in the surface area of Class B,C,D or surface E, surface E extensions.

Class E is for Everywhere that is not A,B,C, D or G.

The fuzzy magenta around the airports you show is the transition area of the Class E base level between 700 and 1200 AGL. Are there Class E transitions other than around Class G airports? Might be, the only areas I can find are near Class C airports abuting upto the outer ring of them. KROC here in Upstate NY has one on it's east side.

Class E may be underlying Class B or C airspace. Class D bottom is always the ground and goes up typically to around 2,500 AGL. The ground area of Class C typically goes up to around 4,000 ft AGL.

If not under Class B or C airspace, Class E extends up to Class A at 18,000 ft MSL. And (but you'll never get there unless you're in a U2 or equivalent) from 60,000 ft MSL upward.

The outer ring of Class C is typically about 1500 ft AGL, so you could have Class E from either 700 AGL or 1200 AGL up to 1499 ft AGL before entering the Class C (outer ring). Ditto for Class B that does not go down to the surface. But remember, Sectional charts are in MSL, I'm just giving you a tad more info about the altitudes.

If the sectional chart shows a dash (" -" ) in front of an altitude, that means the airspace goes up to but not including that number. -700 means 699 is the top limit.

And lastly, yes. You can fly your Past 107 UAV over a Class G airport, up to 400 AGL IF IT WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH OTHER AIRCRAFT OR ENDANGER THE NAS.

So why not have Class E to the ground? Because Class G is uncontrolled airspace. Uncontrolled airspace is airspace where an Air Traffic Control (ATC) service is not deemed necessary or cannot be provided for practical reasons.

So, does that cover it? If not, ask away.
 
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I am a future (possibly, hopefully, testing Friday) certified 107 license holder.

I think I have a firm grasp on airspace, but there is something I just don't see the logic in.

Why doesn't ALL Class E airspace extend to the surface? I am talking about the small airports, Class E, that have no dashed lines, that indicate the floor is the surface.

Class E floor starts at 700' AGL around small airports, 1200' AGL most other places, excluding B, C, E?

Below Class E is Class G, ceiling at 699' AGL or 1199' AGL depending on location?

Am I right in the fact that as 107 license holder you can fly within Class G, (under 400' AGL, or 400' above structures, obviously)???

This sounds stupid, does that mean I can just fly my UAV directly over the airport, staying under 400' AGL? Surely not, but I can't find anything that says otherwise.

Maybe there is something I have missed in all of the FAA alphabet soup I have been studying.

Please help me understand.... Thanks.
May fly over the airport, yes! Should fly there, maybe not! Remember that the only other aircraft you are likely to encounter below 400 ft are those on final to land or having just taken off and are climbing out. That's a tense and busy time for pilots and they don't need any distractions. And, as always, flying anywhere is covered by the all encompassing "unsafe or reckless operating" Claus.
 
I am a future (possibly, hopefully, testing Friday) certified 107 license holder.

I think I have a firm grasp on airspace, but there is something I just don't see the logic in.

Why doesn't ALL Class E airspace extend to the surface? I am talking about the small airports, Class E, that have no dashed lines, that indicate the floor is the surface.

Class E floor starts at 700' AGL around small airports, 1200' AGL most other places, excluding B, C, E?

Below Class E is Class G, ceiling at 699' AGL or 1199' AGL depending on location?

Am I right in the fact that as 107 license holder you can fly within Class G, (under 400' AGL, or 400' above structures, obviously)???

This sounds stupid, does that mean I can just fly my UAV directly over the airport, staying under 400' AGL? Surely not, but I can't find anything that says otherwise.

Maybe there is something I have missed in all of the FAA alphabet soup I have been studying.

Please help me understand.... Thanks.

Class E is controlled airspace. It dips down to 700 feet at some airports so that manned pilots can stay in contact with ATC during instrument approaches. At Class E airports, pilots stay in contact with ATC all the way to the ground.

Regarding flying below 400 feet directly above a Class G airport, the FAA has made it clear that drones must remain clear of traffic patterns. So, if you are flying around well clear of the pattern and manned aircraft traffic, yes, you may fly over portions of a Class G airport. We do it frequently for training videos. But it's always a good idea to tell the airport manager what you're doing before you start. And if you don't understand the nuances of the traffic pattern, then don't fly near the airport at all.
 
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I think I have a firm grasp on airspace, but there is something I just don't see the logic in.

That's a tough one to "Grasp" if you are not familiar with aviation closely. Airspace classifications exist to allow manned aircraft to fly in controlled, safe, and specific manner. Class E allows for a transition from one type of airspace to another while still being controlled by ATC. Think of it as a corridor/tunnel below one airspace but still controlled by ATC. Sort of like an Exit Ramp from a busy interstate onto a smaller less "controlled" highway.
 
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This doesn’t directly answer the OP, but FWIW, part 107 pilots can still fly under hobbyists’ rules in a hobbyist capacity.
 
Thanks everyone, I think its clearer to me now. I also just read through the 107 code, and this kind of covers it..

§107.43 Operation in the vicinity of airports.

No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft in a manner that interferes with operations and traffic patterns at any airport, heliport, or seaplane base.
 
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Even as a Private Pilot, Class G is strange. It is uncontrolled, you are mostly on your own to make good decisions and avoid other aircraft. I totally agree that it is odd that there are many giant, multi-runway airports without a control tower, and it's basically plane-to-plane communication that keeps us all safe. As UAS operators, without radios, we are at a disadvantage compared to Manned aircraft.
 
Even as a Private Pilot, Class G is strange. It is uncontrolled, you are mostly on your own to make good decisions and avoid other aircraft. I totally agree that it is odd that there are many giant, multi-runway airports without a control tower, and it's basically plane-to-plane communication that keeps us all safe. As UAS operators, without radios, we are at a disadvantage compared to Manned aircraft.
All the more reason that Remote Pilots should have an excellent understanding of how traffic patterns work, and monitor radios so that they can have situational awareness.
 
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If you must fly over an airport, having a VO who is also monitoring a radio would be a good idea. But remember that at an uncontrolled airport, radio communications are optional! Radioing when entering or leaving the pattern, taking off or landing is at the pilot's discretion. In fact at my airport, probably half of the planes don't even have a radio. Never assume that there is no one there or coming just because you didn't hear anything on the radio.
 
Class E airspace starting at 700 AGL around non towered airports is to maintain control of aircraft flying IFR into those airports.
Class E will start on the surface if the airport has precision approaches and the aircraft must be controlled down to the decision height (usually 200 AGL) and throughout the missed approach if needed.
 
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Class E airspace starting at 700 AGL around non towered airports is to maintain control of aircraft flying IFR into those airports.
Class E will start on the surface if the airport has precision approaches and the aircraft must be controlled down to the decision height (usually 200 AGL) and throughout the missed approach if needed.
This is the answer - disregard all the other stuff.
 
May fly over the airport, yes! Should fly there, maybe not! Remember that the only other aircraft you are likely to encounter below 400 ft are those on final to land or having just taken off and are climbing out. That's a tense and busy time for pilots and they don't need any distractions. And, as always, flying anywhere is covered by the all encompassing "unsafe or reckless operating" Claus.
As an Airline Transport Pilot with over 25,000 hours DON'T ever fly over any airport, you could cause a crash with the lost of lives...DON'T
 
To be fair. The question was about the legality of flying in Class G over an airport. Yes, it is legal, providing all other existing laws are also followed.
 
When carefully planned and supervised by someone intimately knowledgeable about airport operations, flying at a Class G airport can be done safely and within the scope of the regulations.

38191992_10217133876728297_1302014138871971840_n.jpg
 
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Sure it is, but why fly a drone over an airport. It is absolutely foolish and unsafe.
That's too broad a brush. It can absolutely be done safely.
 
Sure it is, but why fly a drone over an airport. It is absolutely foolish and unsafe.
The guy is studying for the 107 test. He is trying to make sure he understands the limits of Class G airspace.
Your personal feelings about the regulations, although perhaps valid, is not relevant to the question at hand.
 
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