How is Class E airspace depicted on an en route low altitude chart?
Class E Airspace is depicted as open area (white) on the IFR Enroute Low Altitude Charts. It consists of airspace below FL180. Class G Airspace within the United States extends to 14,500' MSL. This uncontrolled airspace is shown as screened brown.
People Also Ask
Recall that the thick and fuzzy magenta circle or set of lines indicate Class E airspace starting at 700 ft.AGL. Everywhere else, meaning anytime you're outside of the thick and fuzzy magenta circle or set of lines, or nothing is being indicated on the sectional chart, Class E airspace starts at 1,200 ft. AGL.
Class E Airspace: Controlled airspace which is neither class A, B, C nor D. In most areas of the United States, class E airspace extends from 1,200 feet (370 m) above ground level (AGL) up to but not including 18,000 feet (5,500 m) MSL, the lower limit of Class A airspace.
You may have heard that Class E airspace starts at 14,500 feet, but if you look at the sectional, this often isn't the case. In the vast majority of areas, there are enough airports and victor airways to have Class E begin at 1,200 feet AGL. This is known as enroute Class E airspace.
Most airspace in the United States is class E. The airspace above FL600 is also class E. No ATC clearance or radio communication is required for VFR flight in class E airspace. VFR visibility and cloud clearance requirements are the same as for class C and D airspaces when below 10,000 feet (3,000 m) MSL.
Perhaps the most misunderstood airspace category, Class Echo (E) starts at 14,500'MSL and extends up to but not including 18,000' (bottom of Alpha Airspace) over the entire continental United States unless otherwise depicted. It also exists above Alpha (above 60,000').
Class E Transition AreasIt often surrounds individual airports or groups of airports. So why does the Class E airspace suddenly drop from 1,200 feet AGL to 700 feet AGL in these areas? Think of it like Class B or C airspace, it drops down to protect aircraft on approach or departure from an airport.