Enhanced Class B and other restrictions in the US (update)

[BayAreaLondoner]

I posted a couple of weeks ago about the fact that GA was grounded in the US as a result of last month's events, and thought I'd post an update.

The situation has improved somewhat for GA, but if any of you are thinking of coming here to indulge in a bit of private flying, please make sure that you check the latest information. You might also want to pack any flying kit in your checked in luggage.

As long as you aren't planning to fly in a formerly Class B (now Enhanced Class B) area, you should be OK. If you are going to an Enhanced Class B area, you'll be flying with a CFI as an instructional flight.
This link shows where Class B airspace exists in the US http://www.eaa.org/flightplanner/us_maps.html

Enhanced Class B extends vertically from the surface to infinity and laterally to the outermost layer of the "wedding cake" (see http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2001/class_b.html )
So for example, whereas you would've been able to fly VFR from San Carlos, Palo Alto or Hayward airports in the SF Bay Area and remain under the Bravo, you can no longer do so since the Enhanced Class B extends all the way to the surface.

Now, since you'd have to get checked out with a CFI at a new club before they'd let you go up alone, what's the problem? Well simply that any private pilot who wants to fly VFR has to fly with a CFI, so CFIs are pretty busy at the moment. THe moral is book ahead and early.

There are plenty of other restrictions, and you can find info on those here: http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2001/010923faq.html

The US AOPA and EAA sites have some good info and they are updated regularly. Both of these organisations are working with the FAA and Department of Defens/ce to get this unhappy situation resolved.

Hope this is useful to some of you.

David.

[VTAIL]

A couple of weeks ago I flew on a IFR Flight Plan from KFCH Fresno Chandler to POA Palo Alto with few problems from ATC. The hardest thing was the lack of traffic on the radios.
On departing POA things slowed down alot by ATC. We were #7 in line waiting for IFR release. The time from start up to wheels rolling for take-off was thirty one (31) min. POA tower was very sorry for the delay, but it wasn't there fault. The system is working, but we must be patient with the changes and be thankful and supportive of the work AOPA is doing on our behalf.

[sanjosebaz]

As luck would have it, I fly out of Reid-Hillview (RHV), which is just outside SFO enhanced Class B, so flying VFR (at least to the south) is largely unaffected. There are a number of flight schools in RHV, which is twr controlled (Class D) with two parallel runways.

[BayAreaLondoner]

SJBaz,

I may very well end up flying from there or from Livermore depending on how much longer the current situation lasts.

What has been your experience with the various FBOs there? A mate of mine told me of a pretty dodgy one.

BAL.

[sanjosebaz]

Well, I only have experience of one: http://www.tradewindsaviation.com

They are very friendly and efficient, though not the cheapest (and I think they are proud of that fact).

(Sorry about the blatant advert!)

[skydriller]

Thanks for the update Bay Area Londoner,

I may be headed to the Houston area with my work soon, in the past over stateside I have hired aircraft from Hooks Memorial Airport. Hooks is situated underneath Houston Intercontinental Airports class B ‘upside-down wedding cake’, which at that point has a base of 2000ft. Am I correct in my understanding from your post that the ‘wedding cakes’ now drop down to surface level? In fact the whole Houston/Clear Lake/Galveston area is underneath Class B airspace and so anyone wanting to fly VFR will only be able to do so with an instructor there?

Just wondering if I need bother to take my flight gear with me on the off-chance I get some free time!!

Cheers, SD
:rolleyes:

[BayAreaLondoner]

Some good news for you Skydriller. The FAA has started to "reopen" some of the Class B airspace to us (though not in my area). Houston was one of the first. Check out the following info:

NOTAM: http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2001/010915tfr.html

Plain English interpretation: http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2001/011015plain.html

Happy flying!

[skydriller]

Bay Area Londoner, Thanx for the above link, Now, if I can just wangle some free time....

Regards, SD

[VTAIL]

RHV is a nice airport with good FBO's, but the tower need's to do a better job on their part. I waited 27 minutes from taxi to take-off last Sunday evenning because the tower operater couldn't handle the traffic. 3 in the pattern six inbound and 5 holding short should not cause total chaos. But atleast RHV is 5nmi outside ECB airspace.
Cheer's,
CPTMTD

[sanjosebaz]

Tx for the private msg, CPTMTD. I do concur that the twr do get flustered once in a while. Never waited as long as you, but sometimes on approach you have to call them multiple times (even when there is no obvious traffic) before they acknowledge. They also got very frustrated with a helicopter the other day - couldn't make their mind up where he should hover to! Somewhat entertaining, if a little annoying waiting for a gap in the ensuing conversation.

Nice airport for training though, on the whole. The two runways give options for rh and lh circuits and only one has lighting at night.... Give 'em another chance!

[hopharrigan]

If you are stuck in one of these areas and want to fly VFR you can do so as a solo student pilot or dual with an instructor. You cannot fly VFR solo as a private/commercial/ATP pilot. The Instructor cannot fly solo in a VFR airplane, he needs a student with him. Crazy.

[BayAreaLondoner]

hopharrigan - this is one of the few times in my short "career" as a private pilot that I've wanted to be a student pilot again :rolleyes:

West Valley, one of the local clubs, organised a "landing challenge" event recently and owing to the current restrictions paired up pilots (or students) with CFIs and had them each do landings. Splendid idea I thought - at least something fun came out of it!

[BayAreaLondoner]

Another update from AOPA:

FAA moving forward on Class B restoration
IFR GA ops now permitted at EWR
10/19/2001 11:27:42 AM ET — AOPA confirmed this morning that FAA is now permitting Part 91 general aviation IFR operations out of Newark (EWR) International Airport. Newark is on the edge of the 18-nm TFR "no fly" zone around the JFK VOR. Meanwhile, the National Security Council (NSC) met again this morning to consider plans to reopen more Class B airspace to VFR operations. Yesterday, FAA met with AOPA; Maryland, Virginia, and New York state aviation officials, GAMA, HAI, and NBAA to consider security and airspace procedures that could be used to reopen airports and heliports within the exclusionary areas in the New York and Washington, D.C., areas where no Part 91 operations are currently permitted. Wednesday, FAA Association Administrator for Air Traffic Steve Brown told Congress that he expected a “graduated reopening” of airspace to continue next week. Brown also said that it was not FAA’s intent to retain enhanced Class B airspace. “Our goal is to return the airspace to what it was prior to September 11.”

[sanjosebaz]

Further info:

Just had a chat with an ATCO from RHV. They have been as confused as the rest of us by ECB and the multiple, conflicting Notams - but as you'll see from the AOPA site, things are slowly returning to normal Class B ops.

CPTMTD: The fact that RHV tower sometimes "forget" about a/c at busy times was also brought up. RHV, being a (relatively) quiet airport uses the tower as a training area for ATCOs. He said they try to deal on a first-come, first-served basis, but occasionally lose track. He also said it was quite in order for pilots to make multiple calls if they feel they have been forgotten!

Lastly, he said that tower visits by pilots to US airport towers was likely to remain prohibited for at least a year, due to enhanced security at all FAA locations. He suggested that we make weekly calls to see whether visits would be allowed once more. I have not seen this in the press, but he said that one or more of the Sep 11 hijackers had recently been for a visit to Boston tower. Though I fail to see what benefit to terrorists can be gained from visiting RHV tower!

[BayAreaLondoner]

Something positive to report (from AOPA):

More Class B airspace opened
AOPA keeps focus on remaining cities, specialty operations
Sunday, October 21, 2001 10:47:51 PM — The FAA Sunday afternoon released a notam announcing the phased opening of 12 more enhanced Class B areas to VFR operations. That leaves three metropolitan areas – New York, Washington, D.C., and Boston – where VFR remains prohibited.

“This is an important milestone and fantastic news for VFR pilots” said AOPA President Phil Boyer. “But now our focus must turn to restoring operations in the three remaining metropolitan areas and in getting the news and traffic reporters, banner towers, and other specialty operators back in the air everywhere.” [See "FAA moving forward on Class B restoration."]

Much like the release of airspace last week, this release will be phased in over three days. The first five will be reopened at 7 a.m. ET on Monday. The opening will follow the schedule below:

Monday, October 22
Atlanta, Georgia; Las Vegas, Nevada; Los Angeles, California, Miami, Florida, San Francisco, California.

Tuesday, October 23
Denver, Colorado; Detroit, Michigan; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; San Diego, California.

Wednesday, October 24
Chicago, Illinois; Orlando, Florida.

The procedures are the same for these cities as established for the fifteen areas opened last week. Aircraft flying in enhanced Class B (ECB) airspace must have an encoding transponder and squawk 1200 (or as assigned by ATC.) Aircraft without a transponder must get a waiver from ATC for each flight in ECB airspace. If equipped to do so, pilots flying in ECB airspace should monitor the guard frequency of 121.5. (See AOPA’s “frequently asked questions” for more information on what the rules are for enhanced class B airspace.)

Pilots must check notams before starting any flight.