Airspace Confusion

Fontinalis · Jul 16, 2018

This may be clear as day to some of you, but I can't figure it out.

Area in question is the Class E airspace associated with POU, a Class D airport. Here Airmap shows that authorization is required for where the X is in POU E4 airspace. The sectional shows the Class E extension as depicted in Airmap.

And here is the same area from the FAA Facility Map

Now on the FAA site there is this:

"UAS Facility Maps show the maximum altitudes around airports where the FAA may authorize part 107 UAS operations without additional safety analysis. The maps should be used to inform requests for part 107 airspace authorizations and waivers in controlled airspace." So I'm not assuming that just because there is no grid over the Class E Surface extension of POU that Airmap is wrong.

It seems illogical to me that the Class E extension would not be included in the FAA facility map.It has in prior versions of the map. I've also read that Class E extensions of Class D airports' airspace doesn't require authorization, but I haven't seen this on the FAA's website and Airmap doesn't concur.

The conclusion I'm drawing from this is that the Class E extension won't be included in LAANC when it launches in the North East on 8/16/2018. I can't understand why, especially given that the Class D airspace likely will be included.

Has anyone had experience with LAANC and Class E surface extensions to a Class D airport?

LUIS MARTINEZ · Jul 16, 2018

What does the Sectional shows? Sectionals are the final word as to airspace.

BillT · Jul 21, 2018

Authorization is NOT required for Class E extensions of class D airspace, see FAA memo.

I checked the latest version of airmap and it shows it restrictions correctly, at least for my local airport CRQ, Carlsbad, CA which is supported by LAANC.

Fontinalis · Jul 23, 2018

Thanks, Bill T, that is exactly what I was hoping to hear. Notice that your Class E extension doesn't even appear in the Airmap app map, while it was shown on mine. Sectional shows both airspaces to be same, within a Class E beginning at 700' and the Class E surface extension of a Class D airport.

Now here's the sectional showing the same Class E surface extension of POU

Here's Airmap showing the area of the Class E surface extension of CRQ:

and here is Airmap map of the POU area. When I made this post the Class E surface extension was showing on airmap as E4, E2, etc within the dashed magenta area shown on the sectional. Today it's gone!

And finally, I checked the FAA UAS Facility map and it has changes recently for this area, as well. Where the Class E surface extension was a grid, it now is now lightly magenta shaded with a dotted outline and no grid:

Just interesting to observe how this all evolves, changes frequently between different sources. Only the sectional remains the same in this case

LUIS MARTINEZ · Jul 23, 2018

Fontinalis said:
Thanks, Bill T, that is exactly what I was hoping to hear. Notice that your Class E extension doesn't even appear in the Airmap app map, while it was shown on mine. Sectional shows both airspaces to be same, within a Class E beginning at 700' and the Class E surface extension of a Class D airport.
View attachment 725

Now here's the sectional showing the same Class E surface extension of POU
View attachment 726

Here's Airmap showing the Class E surface extension of CRQ:

View attachment 727

and here is Airmap map of the POU area. When I made this post the Class E surface extension was showing on airmap as E4, E2, etc within the dashed magenta area shown on the sectional. Today it's gone!

And finally, I checked the FAA UAS Facility map and it has changes recently for this area, as well. Where the Class E surface extension was a grid, it now is now lightly magenta shaded with a dotted outline and no grid:

View attachment 728

Just interesting to observe how this all evolves, changes frequently between different sources. Only the sectional remains the same in this case

And that is why Sectionals remain official aviation sources on airspace, not apps.