What is upper airspace?

Upper airspace is the space above a specific flight level, dedicated to overflight, and lower airspace is the space below that flight level, dedicated to airport approaches.



Upper airspace refers to the portion of the atmosphere where commercial jet traffic and high-altitude military flights primarily operate, typically beginning above Flight Level 245 (24,500 feet). In most international regions, including the Eurocontrol area, the division between "lower" and "upper" airspace occurs at this altitude to separate slower, general aviation traffic from high-speed, long-distance airliners. This upper region is often referred to as the Upper Information Region (UIR). Flying in this airspace requires specialized "Class A" clearance and instruments, as the environment is strictly regulated to ensure safe separation at high speeds. For passengers, this is the "cruising altitude" where the air is thinner, fuel efficiency is maximized, and most of the weather (clouds and turbulence) is left below.

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B4UFLY Mobile App Download the FAA's safety app, which provides real-time information about airspace restrictions and other flying requirements based on your GPS location.

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The two categories of airspace are: regulatory and nonregulatory. Within these two categories, there are four types: controlled, uncontrolled, special use, and other airspace.

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Vertical boundary The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale has established the Kármán line—at an altitude of 100 km (62 mi)—as the boundary between the Earth's atmosphere and outer space, while the United States considers anyone who has flown above 80 kilometres (50 mi) to be an astronaut.

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In the 1900s, Hungarian physicist Theodore von Kármán determined the boundary to be around 50 miles up, or roughly 80 kilometers above sea level. Today, though, the Kármán line is set at what NOAA calls “an imaginary boundary” that's 62 miles up, or roughly a hundred kilometers above sea level.

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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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As the federal authority over operations in all airspace and the regulating authority over operations, the FAA will ensure that the ETM cooperative vision aligns with agency goals and meets the requirements for safe and efficient operations.

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All airspace above FL 600 is Class E airspace. Uncontrolled airspace or Class G airspace is the portion of the airspace that has not been designated as Class A, B, C, D, or E. It is therefore designated uncontrolled airspace. Class G airspace extends from the surface to the base of the overlying Class E airspace.

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Uncontrolled airspace or Class G airspace is the portion of the airspace that has not been designated as Class A, B, C, D, or E. It is therefore designated uncontrolled airspace. Class G airspace extends from the surface to the base of the overlying Class E airspace.

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Controlled airspace is found around some airports and at certain altitudes where air traffic controllers are actively communicating with, directing, and separating all air traffic. Other airspace is considered uncontrolled in the sense that air traffic controllers are not directing air traffic within its limits.

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Think of Class E as the “everywhere airspace” or the leftover controlled airspace segments that fill in the gaps around other classes of controlled airspace. This is part of what makes it more varied and more confusing than most other classes.

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Remote ID also helps the FAA, law enforcement, and other federal agencies locate the control station when a drone appears to be flying in an unsafe manner or where it is not allowed to fly.

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There is no existing mechanism for the FAA to monitor if there are drone pilots, licensed or otherwise, who will fly above this altitude limit. That is well and fine until you get into a close encounter with a manned aircraft, for which you could be facing heavy penalties if the FAA can identify you as the drone pilot.

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It houses the president of the United States and his administration along with highly protected national intelligence. In fact, ever since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the entire DC area is considered National Defense Airspace (NDA) and is the most restricted airspace in the country.

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U.S. Congress has vested the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with authority to regulate the areas of airspace use, management and efficiency, air traffic control, safety, navigational facilities, and aircraft noise at its source. 49 U.S.C.

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There are no specific regulations governing civil aircraft operations beyond the altitude of 60,000 feet. Nevertheless, certain exceptional aircraft like the Concorde and the Tupolev Tu-144 have managed to ascend to altitudes of FL600 (equivalent to 60,000 feet).

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Different airplanes have different maximum altitudes, depending on their construction. For example, the Airbus A320 has a maximum altitude of 39,000 feet (11,900m) and the Boeing 747 45,000 feet (13,700m).

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