AboutNed Dolan Expertise 38 years as a professional pilot. Worked as an instructor for a major airline, as a tow pilot towing gliders and flew international routes until 1998. Do not know much about the maintenance end of the business.
Experience Teaching new Captains the skills and knowledge needed to
occupy the position.
Helping develop procedures for use in a new airplane
type. (B757)
Question Ned, Sounds like you might know a little something on this.
I fly in the San Diego area. In the north part of San Diego County is an airport called Palomar-McClellan. It is a Class D with two Class E surface area extensions to help facilitate instrument approaches when the Class D is operating under IFR. Palomar Tower is under the impression that when they are calling the Class D IMC, that the Class E surface area becomes under their control and they can deny aircraft entry into it. I have found nothing in the FARs that say that.
On the contrary, in the AIM, I found a section (3-16 (e)(2)) which reads:
Extension to a surface area: "... Such airspace provides controlled airspace to contain standard instrument approach procedures WITHOUT IMPOSING A COMMUNICATIONS REQUIREMENT ON PILOTS OPERATING UNDER VFR."
Often, although the Class D may be IMC, the Class E to the east (further inland and away from the marine layer of clouds) is very much VMC. Therefore, I was under the impression a VFR pilot wishing to pass through or loiter in that Class E was good to go.
Is there a regulatory section that would forbid a pilot operating under VFR in VMC from doing this? If so, what is it?
Thanks Much,
Scott
Answer Scott, I don't know if there is a place in the FARs that answers your question. I did find the following in the Pilot/Controller Glossary (7110.65) under the defination for Class D airspace.
"The configuration of each Class D airspace area is individually tailored and when instrument procedures are published, the airspace will normally be designed to contain the procedures. Arrival extensions for instrument approach procedures may be class D or class E airspace. Unless otherwise authorized, each person must establish two-way radio communications with the ATC facility providing air traffic services prior to entering the airspace and thereafter maintain those communications while in the airspace. No Separation services are provided to VFR aircraft."
This may shed some light on why the controllers feel the way they do, but does not provide any rule for denying entry into the airspace. Ned
