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13 Answers

AIM Section 3, Par. 3-3-3(a)(b) Class G airspace

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Airspace, Flight Instructor, General Aviation, Instrument Rating, Student Pilot

Class G airspace is "uncontrolled." So why does AIM include IFR requirements in this section? How would ATC control an IFR flight in uncontrolled airspace? It's always been my understanding that ATC won't have anything to do with aircraft in Class G. Do IFR ops actually take place in Class G???

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13 Answers



  1. Mark Kolber on Aug 11, 2019

    Theoretically, yes, IFR operations can take place in uncontrolled airspace, with no ATC communication or filed flight plan. That is why the IFR regulations are divided between those which refer to “under IFR” and those which only apply to “IFR in controlled airspace.”

    Practically speaking, though, the only legal IFR in uncontrolled airspace we have in the continental US consists of departure from and approaches to airports which are Class G surface areas and performed in connection with an IFR flight in controlled airspace. We just don’t have the amount of enroute uncontrolled airspace we used to.

    “Real” uncontrolled IFR still takes place in Canada where there remain large uncontrolled areas and the pilot’s self report position and intentions.

    I did and article on this for IFR Magazine this past year.

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  2. Mark Kolber on Aug 11, 2019

    …and, fortunately, I have an editor to catch my typos 😀

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  3. Gary S. on Aug 11, 2019

    Mark, thanks but not clear. Scenario, please.

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  4. Gary S. on Aug 11, 2019

    OK. I understand the part “Practically speaking…..”

    It’s just that it seems to me that the IFR stuff really doesn’t belong in AIM where they elaborate on Class G. Guess I’ll get over it. HAHA

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  5. Mark Kolber on Aug 11, 2019

    Non-existent scenario is an area where there are two airports and a route between them where a Class G goes all the way to 14,500 msl. If you search my last name, IFR, and uncontrolled, you will find the article. Unfortunately it is not one of those selected for public view so you only get the intro without a subscription. Not my choice.

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  6. Warren Webb Jr on Aug 11, 2019

    The AIM glossary defines Uncontrolled Airspace as the “Airspace in which aircraft are not subject to controlled airspace (Class A, B, C, D, or E) separation criteria”, which is what ATC does. It doesn’t say that no rules apply. You get no separation services from ATC, but there are nevertheless FAA rules under both VFR and IFR (para 3-3-3) that apply.

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  7. Russ Roslewski on Aug 13, 2019

    Good answer by Mark. And he touches on the most common situation of Class G IFR, but I want to expand on it a bit.

    You are at an uncontrolled field like the thousands out there with Class E starting at 700 AGL (the fuzzy magenta lines). The weather is 200 overcast. You get your clearance and depart. ATC will often say something like “enter controlled airspace heading 360”.

    When you depart and enter the clouds, you are now IFR, in IMC, in uncontrolled airspace. ATC cannot exercise any control authority until you get into controlled airspace, in this example at 700 AGL – hence the heading they gave you doesn’t apply until you enter that controlled, Class E airspace. From the surface to 700 AGL, you are uncontrolled.

    This situation happens routinely many times a day, it’s just that it’s for such a short duration that we don’t think much about it.

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  8. Mark Kolber on Aug 15, 2019

    Exactly, Russ. You can add the other end of the flight, an ILS or LPV approach to 200 AGL minimums at that same airport. Below 700, you are IFR in Class G.

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  9. Gary S. on Aug 15, 2019

    So..… I think we’re all in agreement that true IFR doesn’t exist in G until reaching 700agl. That said, it reinforces my original belief that AIM not include IFR requirements in this section. I wonder if they’d listen to the argument? Ha Ha Ha

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  10. Mark Kolber on Aug 16, 2019

    Dunno if we are in agreement. In both Russ’ and my examples, the IFR in Class G is *below* 700 AGL. It’s Class E *above* 70 msl.

    It may be limited in today’s continental airspace, but there are still parts of Alaska with Class G up to 14,500 msl which can be crossed IFR. And so long as the regulations themselves talk about IFR requirements in uncontrolled airspace, I will expect to see at least a brief discussion about it in the AIM.

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  11. Mark Kolber on Aug 16, 2019

    .um.. *above* 700 msl

    Wish we had the ability to edit. Sigh.

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  12. Russ Roslewski on Aug 16, 2019

    I also agree with Mark (dang, we do that a lot…), in that we both don’t quite agree that “true IFR doesn’t exist in G”.

    IFR operations in Class G happen all the time. Every day. I supposed the meaning of the word “true” is debatable, but IFR in Class G is normal. Hence the AIM section on it.

    Now, if by “true” you’re meaning “level, enroute flight” in Class G, sure, that’s pretty rare. But again, there are still areas of the CONUS and Alaska where Class G goes up to 14,500 MSL, so IFR enroute flight could still conceivably take place in these areas.

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  13. CarsonAviation on Oct 12, 2019

    IFR does happen in class G airspace frequently. In the scenarios above (arriving/departing airports in G), ATC will block the airport and not allow any other IFR approaches or departures into or out of that class G airport until the void time has passed for a departure, or the aircraft reports safely on the ground for an arrival. So there won’t be any other IFR flights in that area of class G airspace at the same time. Now there could be aircraft operating in VFR conditions in that same airspace, but just because an IFR aircraft is on a clearance doesn’t relieve the pilots of the responsibility to see and avoid when operating in VMC. Technically ATC doesn’t have the authority to clear an aircraft in or through G airspace, which is why they use the phrase “upon entering controlled airspace” to mean once you get up and out of your G airspace into our E airspace, your clearance begins.

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