Class E airspace confusion

[Hoopster3]

Hi all,

I purchased a Mavic today and was able to take my 1st flight. While getting ready to fly a notification popped up about flying in Class E airspace. I searched the forum and Googled looking for clarification, but am still lost.

Can anyone help me get a definitive answer on what, if anything, I need to do to fly safely?

 

[ascension]

Sure.
Class E airspace is controlled airspace.
It generally starts at 1200' AGL, but occasionally begins at 700' AGL, or even at the surface.
A sectional chart would tell you which altitude it begins at. If you're inside an area that is defined by a fuzzy magenta depiction, it is 700' and is designed to get IFR flights from/to enroute airspace from takeoff/landing.
If it starts at the surface, it is defined by a magenta circle.
It extends up to 18000' MSL
As long as you're not in class B/C/D or inside the area where it begins at the surface, you're OK to at least 700'.
A good clue would be if you're close to an airport that has instrument traffic, but the sectional would tell you for sure.
Here's a detailed explanation with graphics from a sectional.

Airspace

 

[Sparrk]

To make finding your sectionals easier
SkyVector: Flight Planning / Aeronautical Charts

 

[Hoopster3]

Thank you both for the replies. I was able to fimd most of the information you shared. I was just hoping to find a chart that was broken down into boxes that listed the Class E airspace starting altitude for my area. I used a couple apps but tje boxes seem to be blank in all areas around me.

I live on the outer edge of 3 different flight zones. One is a small municipal airport and the other two are helicopter landings for hospitals. I'm also partially color blind so the magenta lines are difficult for me to distinguish from other colored lines.

Does anyone know where I can get a chart that shows where the Class E airspace begins in Davenport, IA?

 

[sar104]

There are two surface Class E locations in that area, a 4nm circle around Davenport Municipal and an irregular shaped zone around Clinton Municipal. Those are the thin dotted magenta lines on the sectional shown below. There is also 5 nm of surface Class C around Quad City International. As mentioned earlier, you need the VFR sectional charts to see those. Websites such as vfrmap.com or skyvector.com will also display those sectionals.

 

[ascension]

Does anyone know where I can get a chart that shows where the Class E airspace begins in Davenport, IA?

All of the information you require is on the sectional that sar104 posted.
If you want your own sectional, you can order one online or go to an airport that has an FBO or other commercial entity. They usually stock the local sectionals, and the legend included on the chart explains most of this. If you have the chart, you can simply plot your lat/long and see where you sit and what is controlled airspace and by whom, which would let you know who to contact.

 

[Hoopster3]

Thank you for the responses! Should be good to go now.

 

[jrfla]

Hi All, I've read several posts on several forums concerning Class E. I understand airspace for non-UAS operations. However, reading part 107..specifically 107.41...It states "or within the lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class E airspace" ....... so with no magenta line indicating Class E to surface on the sectional doesn't matter since the regulation indicates to the surface. Someone tell me if I missed something here.

 

[ac0j]

If you dont want to collect and carry all the sectionals and other pilot accouterments.
Just keep up with firmware updates and if you can take off, you are probably OK. If it wont take off, you are in a NFZ

 

[sar104]

Hi All, I've read several posts on several forums concerning Class E. I understand airspace for non-UAS operations. However, reading part 107..specifically 107.41...It states "or within the lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class E airspace" ....... so with no magenta line indicating Class E to surface on the sectional doesn't matter since the regulation indicates to the surface. Someone tell me if I missed something here.

If I understand your question correctly then I think it’s just not clearly written. It means within the lateral boundaries of the surface Class E airspace, rather than underneath the transitional Class E airspace.

 

[jrfla]

If I understand your question correctly then I think it’s just not clearly written. It means within the lateral boundaries of the surface Class E airspace, rather than underneath the transitional Class E airspace.

So your interpretation is it starts at 700' (laterally) not the surface.

 

[sar104]

So your interpretation is it starts at 700' (laterally) not the surface.

I'm not sure I understand the question. You cannot fly within the lateral boundaries of surface Class E without a waiver or authorization. 700 ft AGL is the floor of the transitional Class E around some airports, and you can fly under that since you are not within the lateral boundaries of any controlled airspace.

 

[ascension]

It starts at the surface if it is indicated by a thin dashed magenta circle.
If you are inside that dashed magenta circle, you are in Class E at the surface.

 

[sar104]

It starts at the surface if it is indicated by a thin dashed magenta circle.
If you are inside that dashed magenta circle, you are in Class E at the surface.

I don't think that was the confusion, but I may be wrong.

 

[jrfla]

Let me rephrase....My question is "Does FAR 107.41 extend Class E airspace from 700' down to the surface specifically for sUAS operations?" The way that 107.41 is worded made me question this. The FAA is always so clear in their meaning and interpretations !! I have had the exact same question (not this one) posed to two different FSDO's and gotten two completely different answers. It appears most everyone here agrees that Class E airspace stays intact as per Part 91 regardless of manned vs sUAS.

 

[ascension]

What they are saying is that you can't operate in Class E airspace without approval.
At times Class E will start at 700' AGL. At times 1200' AGL, and at times, as depicted on charts, at the surface.
To nit pick the reg, unless class E is depicted to start at the surface, the lateral confines are meaningless.....until you penetrate the low altitude boundary.
In short, If class E starts at 1200, there is no lateral boundary until 1200'.
If Class E starts at starts at 700, there is no lateral boundary until 700'.
If class E starts at the surface, you are in it until you exit the lateral boundary.

 

[sar104]

Let me rephrase....My question is "Does FAR 107.41 extend Class E airspace from 700' down to the surface specifically for sUAS operations?" The way that 107.41 is worded made me question this. The FAA is always so clear in their meaning and interpretations !! I have had the exact same question (not this one) posed to two different FSDO's and gotten two completely different answers. It appears most everyone here agrees that Class E airspace stays intact as per Part 91 regardless of manned vs sUAS.

OK - that's what I assumed that you were asking. No - it does not extend 700 ft transitional Class E to the surface because that would not be within the lateral boundaries of any Class E airspace. The statement, while potentially confusing, is accurate: you may not fly within the lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport (i.e. the surface Class E). It does not mean that you may not fly within the downward extension of the lateral boundaries of the transitional 700 ft Class E airspace. In fact, by extension, there is no prohibition at all on flying in non-surface Class E, other than the question of how you could do that with the 400 ft AGL limitation. The answer is that you can fly in 700 ft transitional (or 1200 ft) Class E if you are within 400 ft of a structure.