Chapter 15. Class B Airspace

Section 2. Class B Airspace Planning

15-2-1. CRITERIA

  1. The criteria for considering a given airport as a candidate for a Class B airspace designation is based ­primarily on the volume of aircraft at the airport being considered, and an assessment of the midair collision risk ­in the terminal area.
  2. For a site to be considered as a Class B airspace candidate, the Class B designation must contribute to the ­safety and efficiency of operations, be necessary to correct a current situation that cannot be solved without a ­Class B designation, and meet the following criteria:
    1. The airport being considered has a total airport operations count of at least 300,000 (of which at least ­240,000 are air carriers and air taxi) and at least 5 million passengers enplaned annually; or
    2. The airport being considered has a total airport operations count of more than 220,000 operations and ­will exceed 300,000 operations (of which 240,000 operations must be air carrier and air taxi) when the itinerant ­traffic count from (a) and (b) below are added, and at least 5 million passengers enplaned annually.
      1. 50% of the annual itinerant traffic count of any airport within 15 nautical miles (NM) from the airport ­being considered that has at least 15,000 annual itinerant operations, and
      2. 25% of the annual itinerant traffic count of any airport that is between 15 NM and 30 NM from the ­airport being considered that has at least 15,000 annual itinerant operations.
  3. The Service Center must request a staff study to evaluate whether or not to revoke a primary airport's Class ­B airspace when that airport has not met the Class B airspace criteria for at least a five-year period and is ­projected to remain below those criteria for the next five years (See paragraph 15-3-6.).
  4. These criteria are subject to periodic review by the Rules and Regulations Group and Service Centers to ­determine whether adjustments are required.

15-2-2. DESIGNATION

Class B airspace locations must include at least one primary airport around which the Class B airspace area is ­designated.

15-2-3. CONFIGURATION

  1. General Design. There is no standard Class B design. Instead, the size and shape of the Class B airspace ­area will vary depending upon location-specific ATC operational and safety requirements. The Class B airspace ­design should be as simple as practical, with the number of sub-areas kept to a minimum.
    1. Designers have the flexibility to use the configuration that best meets the purposes of reducing the midair ­collision potential and enhances the efficient use of airspace.
    2. The lateral and vertical limits must be designed to contain the primary airport(s) instrument approach ­procedures once their track enters the Class B airspace and departure procedures until their track exits the Class ­B airspace.
    3. Ensure that the design does not contain lateral or vertical gaps between adjacent airspace where VFR ­flight could pose increased hazards for Class B operations.
    4. Avoid configurations that create “traps” or “dead-end” corridors for VFR aircraft attempting to navigate ­the area.
  2. Lateral Boundaries. Boundaries may be defined using a variety of techniques such as latitude/longitude ­points, Fix/Radial/Distance references, NAVAIDs, alignment to coincide with prominent landmarks or terrain ­features (where feasible), etc.
    1. The airspace should be centered on the airport reference point (ARP), an on-airport NAVAID, or a ­“point-of-origin” (defined by latitude/longitude coordinates), as dictated by local requirements.
    2. The outer limits of the airspace should extend to the minimum distance necessary to provide containment ­of instrument procedures, including standard instrument departures (SID) to the point they depart Class B ­airspace, standard terminal arrival routes (STAR) from the point they enter Class B airspace, IAPs, and radar ­vectoring, but must not extend beyond 30 NM from the primary airport. This will ensure that the Class B ­boundaries remain within the 30 NM “Mode C and ADS-B Out Veil.” The boundaries should be designed ­considering operational needs, runway alignment, adjacent regulatory airspace, and adjacent airport traffic.
    3. If a circular design is appropriate, the airspace may be configured in concentric circles to include a surface ­area and intermediate and outer shelf sub-areas. A combination of circular and linear boundaries may also be ­used, as required.
      1. The surface area should be designed based on operational needs, runway alignment, adjacent ­regulatory airspace, or adjacent airports, but must encompass, to the extent practicable, all final approach fixes.
      2. The intermediate and outer shelf sub-areas may be subdivided based on terrain and other regulatory ­airspace, but must contain instrument procedures.
  3. Vertical Limits. The upper limit of the airspace should not exceed 10,000 feet MSL. However, high airport ­field elevation, adjacent high terrain, or operational factors may warrant a ceiling above 10,000 feet MSL.
    1. The surface area extends from the surface to the upper limit of the Class B airspace. This area may be ­adjusted to coincide with runway alignment, adjacent airports, other regulatory airspace, etc., but must ­encompass, to the extent practicable, all final approach fixes and minimum altitudes at the final approach fix.
    2. The altitude floors of sub-areas should step up with distance from the airport. Determination of sub-area ­floors should be predicated on instrument procedure climb/descent gradients to ensure containment of the ­procedures. Sub-area floors may be adjusted to have various floor altitudes considering terrain, adjacent ­regulatory airspace, and common vectored flight paths that are not on procedures.
    3. Sub-area exclusions are permitted to accommodate adjacent regulatory airspace and/or terrain.
    4. Different Class B altitude ceilings may be designated for specific sub-areas if there is an operational or ­airspace efficiency advantage, provided this would not cause pilot confusion or lead to inadvertent intrusions ­into, or excursions from, Class B airspace. Address the need for different altitude ceilings in the staff study.
  4. Variations. Variation from the above lateral or vertical design guidance is permissible, but must be ­justified in the staff study and recommended by the Service Center.
  5. Satellite Airports. When establishing Class B airspace floors, consider the adverse effect on satellite ­airport operations. When airspace directly over a satellite airport is not required, it should be excluded from the ­Class B airspace. Special published traffic patterns, and/or procedures may be required for satellite airports.

15-2-4. IFR TRANSITION ROUTES

If ATC operational factors and traffic permit, consider whether RNAV T-routes could be developed to guide ­transiting pilots to fly through, or navigate around, the Class B airspace area.

15-2-5. VFR CONSIDERATIONS

To the extent feasible, procedures must be developed to accommodate VFR aircraft desiring to transit the Class ­B airspace (See FAA Order JO 7210.3, Facility Operation and Administration, Chapter 12, National Programs). ­The following charts can assist pilots in identifying Class B boundaries and to transit or circumnavigate the area.

  1. VFR Terminal Area Charts (TAC). TAC charts are published for most Class B airspace areas. They ­provide detailed information needed for flight within or in the vicinity of Class B airspace.
  2. Charted VFR Flyway Planning Charts. VFR Flyway Planning Charts are published on the back of ­selected TAC charts. The Flyway Planning Charts are intended to facilitate VFR transitions through ­high-density areas. They depict generalized VFR routing clear of major controlled traffic flows. An ATC ­clearance is not required to fly these routes. If not already published, Class B facilities are encouraged to develop ­a flyway planning chart.

15-2-6. CHART ENHANCEMENTS

Consider enhancements to TAC and VFR Flyway Planning Charts that would increase situational awareness for ­VFR pilots and others transiting the area, aid the identification of Class B boundaries, and assist pilots desiring ­to avoid the Class B airspace. Example chart depictions include, but are not limited to:

  1. Identification of key boundary points with a combination of latitude/longitude coordinates and NAVAID ­fix/radial/distance information (if available).
  2. Prominent landmarks or terrain features easily visible from the air.
  3. VFR checkpoints (“Flags”).
  4. IFR arrival and departure routes to/from the primary airport. Explore the feasibility of including significant ­IFR arrival/departure routes at secondary airports.
  5. GPS and VFR waypoints placed in and around the Class B airspace to assist pilots in transiting or avoiding ­the airspace.