Class B airspace question

[russell.bynum]

Last night, I was flying my Cat-11 test and ran into some confusion about how Class B airspace is marked on the sectional. See attached screenshot from Foreflight. Pink line is my course. The yellow circled area is the area in question. I was cruising at 7500ft, transponder was on Alt, and I announced my altitude ("Level at 7500") every time I checked in with a new freq.

As I got close, I still hadn't been cleared into the airspace, so I called SoCal and said I'm approaching the boundary of the San Diego Class B but I haven't been cleared in yet. The controller responded that I wasn't approaching the class B and that I would actually be around 3 miles from the field before I penetrated the class B because of the way the airspace's shelves are arranged. He was busy, so I just responded that I understand and I'd wait until I get closer.

The way I read it, that blue line marks the outer shelf of the San Diego class B. It's marked 100/48, which says it starts at 4800 and goes up to 10,000. I was cruising at 7,500. So...if I'm reading that right, I entered the class B as soon as I crossed that solid blue line at 7500.

Am I right or was the controller right? If the controller was right, what did I get wrong reading the sectional?

[Peter Grey]

Hello,

You are reading everything correctly chart wise. I listed to the recording and based on your post and that recording what happened was a bit of communication confusion.

The controller was expecting you to descend below the shelves so that you don't end up entering the airspace until just before MZB, that's what he meant by "going in-between the shelves". I think you weren't expecting an early descent so you were thinking laterally only. Laterally there would be no way around the airspace at 7500' as you indicate.

It's common for GA aircraft to not be able to enter the Class B airspace in the higher shelves. In this specific case being in that block of airspace at 7500' would put you at risk of being run over by departures from KSAN heading to the north.

Hopefully this clears everything up. Let me know if you have any further questions.

[russell.bynum]

Thanks for the response. And I see that you work for PE. I have to say...I've been goofing around with Flightsims since Microprose Flight Simulator on my Apple IIc. PE is by far the best FS addon ever. Hands down.


OK...so...I was reading the chart correctly. Which means that I entered the class B at 7500 without clearance.

My intention was to stay high as long as possible since I'm single engine over water.

So...I should have clarified with the controller that I'd like to stay at 7500 for now if possible. At that point he could clear me into the B at 7500 or he could tell me I need to descend or otherwise stay clear of the B. Correct?

[Marcus Becker]

Just because you want in the airspace and request it doesn’t always mean you’re going to get it. In this case, probably best to look at the “Fly Chart” for a better course of action. VFR corridors for the win!

[russell.bynum]

Marcus,
In this case, it was poor communication between myself and ATC. I let the controller know that I was approaching the boundary of the Bravo and hadn't been cleared in yet. He responded that I wasn't approaching the edge of the Bravo...because of the way the shelves are setup, I can get much closer before I enter the Bravo.

Where things broke down...my altitude was within the outer shelf, so...at my altitude, I was nearing the boundary of the Bravo. Controller's statement made me second-guess my chart-reading skills...like maybe I'm reading it wrong and this line I'm approaching on the chart isn't the Bravo. So...I flew on. I should have clarified my concern...that I wanted to stay at this altitude and my understanding of the chart was that, at this altitude, I'll be entering the Bravo soon. He could have clarified that he wanted me to remain clear of the Bravo (rather than saying I wasn't approaching the Bravo.)

[Marcus Becker]

I wouldn’t ever expect a warning. If you are at an altitude that puts you in a bravo change your altitude. I think that’s more my point. I see so many pilots just cruising along towards a bravo and are surprised when they don’t automatically get a bravo clearance when they approach a shelf and don’t know how to correct the problem. What I’m suggesting is that the planning of the transition should be forgotten about. If you happen to get a clearance consider it an unexpected bonus. If you want a transition, request it before it’s too late.

[russell.bynum]

Agreed.

That's why, when I was coming up on the Bravo, I called and asked if I was cleared in.

I knew I either needed to get cleared in, or I needed to descend.

Controller replied that I wasn't coming up on the Bravo. At that point, I started second-guessing my chart-reading skills, so I proceeded on.

So...a combination of miscommunication and me not being confident in my chart-reading. I should have responded back that I wanted to remain at this altitude, if possible. He could have either cleared me in at that point or told me I wasn't cleared to enter the Bravo...at which point, I would have descended.

You're right about the VFR Flyways. That's good advice which also would have avoided this situation. Checking the Fly chart for relevant VFR flyways would have been a good idea. I would have come east a bit and could have then gone under the outer shelf of the Bravo on the flyway at 6500.