Chapter 15. Class B Airspace

Section 1. General

15-1-1. PURPOSE

  1. Class B airspace areas are designed to improve aviation safety by reducing the risk of midair collisions in ­the airspace surrounding airports with high-density air traffic operations. Aircraft operating in these airspace ­areas are subject to certain operating rules and equipment requirements.
  2. Additionally, Class B airspace areas are designed to enhance the management of air traffic operations to ­and from the airports therein, and through the airspace area.

15-1-2. NONRULEMAKING ALTERNATIVES

Before initiating a Class B airspace proposal, determine if there are nonrulemaking alternatives that could ­resolve the issue(s). If nonrulemaking alternatives resolve the issue(s), no Class B rulemaking action is required.

15-1-3. RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. The Rules and Regulations Group is responsible for oversight of the Class B airspace ­designation/modification/revocation process and issuance of all informal airspace meeting notices, NPRMs, and ­final rules. The Rules and Regulations Group will provide assistance, as needed, to the Service Centers in ­developing Class B airspace proposals.
  2. The Service Center is responsible for coordination to determine Class B airspace candidacy or the need ­for modifications or revocation of an existing area. As part of this responsibility, the Service Center must request ­a staff study be conducted by the appropriate office and perform an analysis of the staff study. All Class B airspace ­establishment, modification, or revocation plans must be coordinated with the Rules and Regulations Group ­before any public announcement.

15-1-4. SERVICE CENTER EVALUATION

  1. Service centers must biennially evaluate existing Class B airspace areas to determine if the area continues ­to meet the purpose of Class B airspace and if airspace modifications are required. The evaluation should ­consider, but is not limited to, the following:
    1. The Class B airspace guidance in this chapter;
    2. Review the current configuration to determine if:
      1. It ensures the containment of instrument approach procedures once their track enters the Class B ­airspace and departure procedures until their track exits the Class B airspace.
        1. Surface areas encompass all final approach fixes, to the extent practicable.
        2. Sub area floor altitudes are based on instrument procedure climb/descent gradients.
      2. Any lateral or vertical gaps exist between adjacent airspace areas where VFR flight could increase ­hazards for Class B operations; or if the configuration contains any “traps” or “dead-end” corridors for VFR ­aircraft.
      3. There is a record of Class B excursions.
    3. Airspace modeling results (PDARS, TARGETS, etc.);
    4. Controller input and user feedback;
    5. Applicable safety data; for example:
      1. Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) events;
      2. Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP);
      3. Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS);
      4. Mandatory Occurrence Reports (MOR);
      5. Near Midair Collision (NMAC) reports;
      6. FAA Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) System; and
      7. Other sources as appropriate.
    6. Significant changes in primary airport traffic flows, runway utilization, or instrument procedures that ­affect the Class B configuration;
    7. Secondary/satellite airport operations affecting Class B operations or controller workload;
    8. Planning activities such as construction of new runways, changes to existing runways (for example, ­decommissioned, lengthened, etc.), development of new instrument procedures, or cancellation of existing ­procedures, resectorization plans (determine whether planned changes require Class B airspace modifications);
    9. Need for charting enhancements: Sectional Aeronautical Chart, Terminal Area Chart (TAC), VFR ­Flyway Planning Chart; and
    10. Any other factors deemed relevant to the Class B airspace area being evaluated.
  2. The Service Center must document the biennial evaluation to the file, with an information copy of the ­evaluation sent to the Rules and Regulations Group (AJV-P21). If the evaluation indicates that airspace ­modifications or revocation should be made, Service Centers must follow the applicable procedures in this ­Order.
  3. In addition to the biennial evaluation, airspace specialists should maintain coordination with planners (such ­as Metroplex, NextGen, Performance-Based Navigation, FPT, etc.) for awareness of instrument flight ­procedures under development to determine if they will be contained within the existing Class B airspace ­configuration. If the planned procedures would exit the existing Class B airspace, initiate a corresponding Class ­B modification project.