FAA Sport Pilot Airplane (SPA)Airspace and NavigationMedium
A pilot is flying VFR at 17,500 feet MSL over the contiguous United States. What class of airspace contains this altitude?
- AClass A airspace, since it begins at 17,500 feet MSL
- BClass B airspace, since it extends to 18,000 feet MSL nationwide
- CClass E airspace, since it extends up to but not including 18,000 feet MSL
- DClass G airspace, since it is above the Class E floor
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Class E airspace, since it extends up to but not including 18,000 feet MSL
Class E airspace extends from its various floors up to, but not including, 18,000 feet MSL across the contiguous United States. Class A airspace begins exactly at 18,000 feet MSL, so 17,500 feet MSL is still within Class E.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Class A begins at 18,000 feet MSL, not 17,500 feet.
- B. Class B is localized around major airports, not a nationwide layer to 18,000 feet.
- D. Class G airspace only exists at lower altitudes, not at 17,500 feet.
Class E Ceiling
Class E airspace in the contiguous United States extends upward to, but not including, 18,000 feet MSL, where Class A airspace begins.
- Class A begins at exactly 18,000 feet MSL
- Class E floor varies by location (700 AGL, 1,200 AGL, surface)
- IFR flight plan or clearance required in Class A
- VFR is generally not conducted in Class A airspace
Memory trick: Eighteen-thousand: E stops, A starts