Class E at 1200 AGL

[Sidious]

Question regarding Class E at 1200 AGL. All sectional charts state that "Class E begins at 1200 AGL unless otherwise depicted above"

So where does class G ever go above 1200 AGL?

The question comes up after looking at the Great Falls sectional where the Blue Vignette comes into play. Before it seemed obvious that Class G existed outside the blue vignette up to 14500 but if Class E exists everywhere starting at 1200 AGL how can this be?

Set me straight. Thanks

[BuickCFI]

in the very middle of that picture, E starts at 14,500

[woodreau]

Lots of mountainous areas out west have areas where E doesn't start until 14500 so G is underlying.

[mrmeschi]

On the hard side of the blue shaded area class E starts at 14,500' MSL, below that is class G and on the soft side class E starts at 1,200' AGL, class G below that. Class G cant exist higher then 14,500' in the US. Ahh airspace is fun.

[Sidious]

So where does "exist at 1200 unless otherwise depicted" come into play?

On a florida sectional there are no blue vignettes and yet we take the "exists at 1200 AGL unless otherwise depicted" to mean that Class E starts at 1200 AGL all the time unless something says different.

The question is why does that not apply here?

[ppilot]

Originally Posted by Sidious

So where does "exist at 1200 unless otherwise depicted" come into play?

On a florida sectional there are no blue vignettes and yet we take the "exists at 1200 AGL unless otherwise depicted" to mean that Class E starts at 1200 AGL all the time unless something says different.

The question is why does that not apply here?

Ummm...because it's otherwise depicted? Maybe I don't understand you. When you say 'why does that not apply here,' where is here? In Florida or on the sectional in the first post?

[Goldmember]

Try to think of it this way: When you see those blue bands like in the sectional you just posted, don't think "oh, here's class E that starts at 1,200." Think "Oh, there's class G on the outside of the blue band that goes up to 14,500. Class E does NOT start EVERYWHERE at 1,200, as evidenced by your sectional. However, on say a Chicago sectional, you won't find these blue bands anywhere and you can assume class E starts at 1,200 because it's "not otherwise designated." Your sectional is the "otherwise designated" part of this. Also, read the bit about the blue bands exist where class E "abuts" class G airspace which is what's happening here. You won't this kind of thing very often except out west.

[Sidious]

Thanks Goldmember- Crystal Clear

And thanks everyone else

[ghogue]

Originally Posted by Sidious

Question regarding Class E at 1200 AGL. All sectional charts state that "Class E begins at 1200 AGL unless otherwise depicted above"

So where does class G ever go above 1200 AGL?

The question comes up after looking at the Great Falls sectional where the Blue Vignette comes into play. Before it seemed obvious that Class G existed outside the blue vignette up to 14500 but if Class E exists everywhere starting at 1200 AGL how can this be?

Set me straight. Thanks

"Unless otherwise depicted" refers to areas marked in a blue, zigzag line with the appropriate altitudes indicated in MSL. Several good examples are on the Great Falls sectional, southeast of Couer D'Alene, ID (KCOE). They are marked 6000 MSL, 7000 MSL, and 8500 MSL. Take a look at the legend, they are depicted there also.

gary

[taseal]

Originally Posted by Sidious

So where does "exist at 1200 unless otherwise depicted" come into play?

On a florida sectional there are no blue vignettes and yet we take the "exists at 1200 AGL unless otherwise depicted" to mean that Class E starts at 1200 AGL all the time unless something says different.

The question is why does that not apply here?

there are. look at the end of the map. particularly you can see it at way SE of keywest. pretty much the whole map is covered in it

class E and G can get confusing at times when they overlay eachother etc.

[milski]

Originally Posted by taseal

class E and G can get confusing at times when they overlay eachother etc.

Mostly in jest, but is there any class G which is not overlaid by class E?

[Sidious]

Originally Posted by taseal

there are. look at the end of the map. particularly you can see it at way SE of keywest. pretty much the whole map is covered in it

Ive seen that but if you look at another sectional - say Jacksonville there is no blue vignette so that theory is kinda out of the water.

[BuickCFI]

the wide magenta lines are 700ft inside(fuzzy side) and 1200ft outside(hard side) so outside of those areas everything is 1200ft. that is how you know

[MidlifeFlyer]

Originally Posted by Sidious

Ive seen that but if you look at another sectional - say Jacksonville there is no blue vignette so that theory is kinda out of the water.

As I recall, once upon a time there was a lot more Class G to 14,500 msl and all sectionals had blue vignettes somewhere.

Then Class E starting at 1200 AGL became the overall norm and the charting convention became that you only saw the vignette (or one of the other indicators) to show where there was Class E on the chart that started at something other than 1200 AGL.

No airspace on the chart starts at something other than 1200 AGL? No need to show it on the chart.