I was having a great deal of trouble memorizing this specific topic until I found this video. I was able to duplicate the image from memory within a couple of minutes and used it to help me pass my written exam two days ago. Thank you for the help!!!!
I'm a student pilot and airspace minimums was one of my hardest things to learn until I saw this video. Memorized in less than 10 minutes. I suggests drawing the diagram multiple times until you don't have to look at it anymore. Thanks Rod!
Thank you Rod for kickstarting my adventure in pilot training, starting out on FSX has given me a good foundation for learning the fundamentals of aviation. It gave me a definite head start.
thanks rod! This is great. I can't use this particular pyramid here in the UK as airspace is slightly different here, but I can work on my own for my students. brilliant idea. thanks again to you and Mr. Timeter, Al Timeter
This is the best video and memory aid for VFR minimums. Every other book/video I studied prior to this paled in comparison. Found this the night before the PPL checkride. Thank you Rod!
Thank you so much.. before watching this video I honestly felt like it would take me years to memorise these requirements but after memorizing this memoric aid I can now say that I already know this topic, thank you!
I just came home from a flight lesson, on in this case a no flight lesson,(ground lesson), this air space triangle saved me, there is no way I could have learned this stuff just studying charts. We did air space tonight, getting ready for my checkride, I felt very confident answering all the air space questions, now I won't have that knot in my gut on checkride day, Thank You Rod!.
THANK YOU! I've been struggling with the subtle differences for various reasons. This makes me feel a LOT more comfortable that I understand it. Thanks again!
Rod Machado Yes Sir, I already am. By the way, I've been showing this to other pilots for a couple years (even my flight instructors) and am always surprised when they have not seen it yet.
F111 and c152 is a good memory exercise. F for five miles 1000 feet above 1000 feet below cloud and 1 mile horizontally. C152 is c as the third letter which is 3 statue miles 1000 feet above 500 feet below and 2000 feet horizontally.
Proud to say I am one of Mr. Rod Machado's aviation "children". Learned to fly in sims 15 years ago by using Mr. Massado's lessons in MS Flight Simulator. 15 years later I'm still going strong, all because of that solid foundation and I'm still learning. Pretty sure that without those lessons I would have dropped that fantastic hobby ages ago.
Rod I found you on flight simulator many years ago and decided you were my go to guy when it comes to learning about piloting an airplane. I used to spend two hours simulating what I was going to practice for the day before I headed to the airport. The only issue at the time was I was renting a 152 and simulating in a 172. It seemed close enough at the time. I would like to know the reasons for airspace rules, that would go a long way towards remembering. I have never actually discussed with anyone ever the reasons for the rules. I am watching this video for review. At 10,000 and above I must remain further from the clouds and have better visibility. I don't know the reason, but it makes sense to me that faster airplanes will be at those altitudes on IFR plans and without the clearance from the clouds, small slow airplanes would be in danger of collision. It is things like this I wonder but don't know the reasoning.
Mr. Machado, once again, a great tool and great presentation from you. I'm preparing for the CFI at this time so can I use this if I give you credit?!? Thank you
Greetings Stephen: Yes, of course, please use it. That's what I intended it for. Good luck on your CFI study, too. Visit my blog and read the piece on "Advice for the CFI Checkride."
Thank you for this video. This is great! I'm still a bit confused about the ceiling of class G airspace. I thought it was 700 AGL around certain airports up to 1,200 AGL, but on this graph is goes beyond 1,200 AGL.
Greetings Alejandro: Class G can go up higher than 1,200 feet AGL where the floor of airways (Class E airspace) begin at higher altitudes. The FAA began removing these higher Class E floor several years ago, reducing all Class G tops to 700 or 1,200 feet AGL. Best, Rod
Greetings Tony: It's nearly impossible to accurately estimate your distance from a cloud. The question you really want to ask, however, isn't "How far am I from a cloud?" Instead, you want to ask, "What separation do I need from that cloud to prevent being hit by anyone exiting it?" Best, Rod Machado
@@Flight-Instructor Why the heck doesn't the FAA gurus write it in that manner, to really make the lesson positive? Instead of "Don't go less than 500 feet below a cloud, or less than 1000 ft above a cloud or less than 2000 ft laterally. " Seems the FAA is always trying to write questions to screw you up, instead of in a positive format. Like writing any sentence with a double negative. ""What separation do I need from that cloud to prevent being hit by anyone exiting it?" is so much more positive and educational.
Hey Rod, Perhaps someone has already suggested this: How about making a batch of stickers of this graphic for sale? I would put one on my clipboard or even on my dash of my Kitfox!
I'm not sure I understand the additional 1000 Ft ceiling if touching BCDE airspace? Maybe you can add some clarification. If I'm in C airspace then it's C rules no? In C airspace ATC will tell us where to be anyway right? Is it just when I'm touching that perimeter then that the ceiling changes from 500 to 1000? Why wouldn't it just be C rules of 500ft? is it an additional 1000ft totaling a 1500ft ceiling or the ceiling just changes to 1000ft. I might be making this more complicated than it has to be,. : )
Greetings Jon: I describe this relationship in detail in my Private Pilot Handbook or my Understanding Airspace eLearning course (in case you're interested. See www.rodmachado.com). The fact is that "all" surface-based airspace requires a ceiling of at least 1,000 feet along with three miles visibility for VFR operations. The reason being that surface-base airspace is primarily installed at airport having instrument approaches with relatively low minimums or airports that once had instrument approaches with relatively low minimums. This allows airplanes on IFR approaches to enter the airport environment and have less of a chance of hitting someone operating with only one mile visibility and remaining clear of clouds. Hope this helps, Best, Rod
Just to add to this although you most likely won't be tested on it at night for class G if you remain within 1/2 a mile from the airport and under 1200ft AGL you may still operate as 1sm visibility and clear of clouds (:
this is a prime example of how complicated the federal government love to be with all these rules and regulations where we are left to try and make something simple and humanly digestable out of it!
I just dont understand why the FAA must make this so complex Imo alot of this could be simplified down to 3nm 1k-1k-1k for all airspace surface to 10000 msl and 5NM 1-1-1 10000 msl - 18000 msl sure it would add more restrictions in some airspaces but it would add a saftey buffer and create a much better memory for airspace and just allow for special VFR 1nm clear of clouds in all controlled airspace the only change would be class G at night which can be just an increase in visibility required such a 5nm -1-1-1 Same with speed limits just make it one limit across the board Its almost as if its deliberately confusing
Greetings Branden: You're reading the regulation incorrectly here. It's actually 3 sm night and 1 sm day for airplanes. The lowest allowed visibility for any general aviation "airplane" is one-mile, period! One-half mile visibility is never allowed for an airplane under any VFR conditions. The value of "one-half" pertains to the distance from the runway, not to visibility. Here's the reg excerpt. "(2) Airplane, powered parachute, or weight-shift-control aircraft. If the visibility is less than 3 statute miles but not less than 1 statute mile during night hours and you are operating in an airport traffic pattern within 1⁄2 mile of the runway, you may operate an airplane, powered parachute, or weight-shift-control aircraft clear of clouds." FAR 91.155 Best, Rod
Rod Machado oh okay, I’ll be honest I never noticed there was a difference for helicopters and fixed wing. I’m a helicopter pilot and still fairly new. Thanks for the quick response, the more knowledge in the tool bag is always better
QZ: The airspace discussed here is ICAO, or international airspace. So it applies almost everywhere. However, we don't use Class F airspace very much in the US. And there are a few differences between us (USA) and other countries. Nevertheless, this is worth remembering. Rod
