Page 135 - Planning and Design of Airports

104 Airp o r t Pl anning

• CVG Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International
Airport
• PHL Philadelphia International
• PIT Pittsburgh International
• MEM Memphis International
• DAL Dallas Love Field
• DFW Dallas-Fort Worth International
• HOU Houston William P. Hobby
• IAH George Bush Intercontinental (Houston)
• SLC Salt Lake City International
• DCA Ronald Reagan Washington National
• IAD Washington Dulles International
• SEA Seattle-Tacoma International

Class C airspace is found around airports without as much operat-
ing volume as those around Class B airspace, but is busy enough to
warrant some active level of air traffic control within 10 mi of the air-
port. VFR traffic operating within Class C airspace must adhere to strict
cloud separation requirements and have at least 3 mi of visibility so
that they may sufficiently be able to see and avoid other traffic. In addi-
tion, all traffic operating within Class C airspace must have established
radio communication with air traffic control. The shape of Class C air-
space is also in the form of an upside down wedding cake, extending
from the surface to typically 4000 ft AGL around the inner 5-nm radius
around the airport, and from 1000–2000 ft to 4000 ft AGL from 5 to
10 nm from the airport. Figure 3-4 provides an illustration of Class C
airspace surrounding the Daytona Beach International Airport, depicted
by a two concentric rings of radii 5 and 10 mi around the airport.
Class D airspace is found within a 5-mi radius of an airport with
an operating air traffic control tower, extending from the surface to
typically 2500 ft AGL. The purpose of Class D airspace is to provide
an area of air traffic control authority to controllers in the airport’s
control tower, who are responsible for the safe separation of arriving
and departing aircraft to and from the airport. Aircraft operating
under VFR flight rules are allowed to operate within Class D airspace
as along as they establish communication with the air traffic control-
lers in the tower. When an airport’s control tower is in operation, the
airport is said to be a “controlled” airport. When the airport’s tower is
not operational, the airport is considered “uncontrolled” and Class D
airspace is no longer active. Airports without a control tower are con-
sidered “uncontrolled airports,” as well. Figure 3-5 illustrates Class D
airspace surrounding the Southwest Georgia Regional Airport in
Albany, Georgia, depicted by a dashed 5-mi radius circle around the