Can you fly IFR in Class E airspace?

In class E airspace, IFR aircraft are controlled by ATC. This might be a center facility (Air Route Traffic Control Center) or approach/departure facility. As a VFR aircraft, you aren't required to be in contact with ATC, but IFR aircraft must operate on an ATC clearance. That means the airspace is controlled.



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Class E. IFR and VFR flights are permitted, IFR flights are provided with air traffic control service and are separated from other IFR flights. All flights receive traffic information as far as is practical. Class E shall not be used for control zones.

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Class E airspace does not prohibit drone flight to anyone, but some circumstances require prior authorization. Class E4 and E3 airspaces do not require prior authorization, but Class E surface area (E2) airspace surrounds small airports and does require airspace authorization.

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Purpose of Class E Airspace Class E airspace exists to provide added protection for the separation of IFR and VFR aircraft. It creates a type of airspace in which pilots following visual flight rules do not need special clearances, but IFR pilots intending on using an instrument approach do.

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The FAA requires ADS-B Out capability in the continental United States, in the ADS-B rule airspace designated by FAR 91.225: Class A, B, and C airspace; Class E airspace at or above 10,000 feet msl, excluding airspace at and below 2,500 feet agl; Within 30 nautical miles of a Class B primary airport (the Mode C veil);

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There are Class E airspace areas that extend upward from a specified altitude to, but not including, 18,000 feet MSL and are designated as offshore airspace areas.

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SVFR operations may be authorized for aircraft operating in or transiting a Class B, Class C, Class D, or Class E surface area when the primary airport is reporting VFR but the pilot advises that basic VFR cannot be maintained.

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A Cessna 150 can be IFR certified if equipped with the 20 or more instruments and devices specified under section 91.205 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs). The exact equipment configuration depends on the route to be flown. Other recency requirements also apply.

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A pilot holding a Private Pilot License (PPL) must fly in VFR conditions. IFR stands for “Instrument Flight Rules” and allows a pilot who is Instrument Rated (IR) to operate an aircraft by relying almost solely on instruments. Once a pilot holds a PPL, the next step is to be Instrument Rated (IR).

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Let's say the weather at your airport is IFR but clear a few miles away. While the VFR-only pilot will have to wait for the weather to improve, the IFR pilot can depart on an IFR flight plan, then cancel the IFR flight plan when they are in VFR conditions.

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Class E airspace is often confusing though because it's not clearly depicted on the sectional chart, like the ATC-controlled Classes B, C or D. While Class E airspace is considered “controlled airspace”, you do not need an ATC clearance to fly in it.

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Class E airspace has no requirements for communication when flying VFR. You only have to maintain two-way communication in Class E airspace when flying IFR.

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Upper Class E airspace operations refer to those that take place over 60,000 feet above mean sea level (MSL) in the National Airspace System (NAS). Operations in upper Class E airspace have historically been limited due to the challenges faced by conventional fixed wing aircraft in reduced atmospheric density.

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