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2 Answers

Vfr flight following

Asked by: 3224 views , ,
Airspace, Private Pilot

I am planning a cross country from the fort Atkinson airport (61c) to the Lewis university airport (klot) which would take me right through the Chicago class bravo airspace. Now I could quite easily fly at 3500 feet the whole way and not have to worry about talking to or working with the class bravo airspace at all, but I'd like to climb a bit higher than that to say 5500. I plan to use flight following and have been told some contradicting things about flight following, and was hoping to get it cleared up before my trip. When on flight following what air spaces are you allowed to transition through without having to talk to the controlling station. For example if on A vfr flight following and your route/altitude  will take you through a class bravo airspace are you able to fly through that airspace? I remember being told by somebody that if on the flight following this is all a given. But I recently stumbled across an article that says that unless the person that you are talking to during the flight following at the time you are to enter the airspace specifically clears you through the airspace just as they would if you were not on the flight following you are not to enter. Is this the case? And if so is this only for class bravo airspace or does this apply to all air spaces such as class delta. Also if you are to receive a clearance prior to entering and the control you're speaking to fails to clear you would you just simply request to transition through their space?

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2 Answers



  1. Mark Kolber on Jul 11, 2016

    Class D and C entry require establishing two-way communications. Class B requires a specific clearance. The “magic words” you want to hear are “cleared into Class B.”

    No, you deciding that your route should be through the Class B does not mean that’s what you can do. From friends in the Chicago area, I understand VFR class B clearance are pretty rare. In any class B, getting the clearance typically means your route is out of the way of the arrival and departure routes.

    But…your questions and confusion about basic VFR requirements for entry into Class B suggests to me that you really should sit down with a CFI to review your planned flight.

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  2. Skyfox on Jul 11, 2016

    When you’re on flight following you’ll generally be handed off from one controlling agency (approach/departure) to the next. As you start to get near Chicago airspace you’ll most likely be handed off to ORD approach, who will either route you around class B airspace or specifically clear you to enter it for transitioning. At no time (unless there’s an emergency) can you enter class B before you get a clearance. You can freely fly underneath it, though. If you’re below it you’ll likely be handed off to Dupage approach. Go ahead and file the flight plan you want but be prepared to divert because you won’t necessarily get the route and altitude you’re hoping for.

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