Sport Pilot Talk

MrMorden wrote:

Warmi wrote:I did most of my training in controlled space ( albeit D only ) and I think it is easier and less stressful but either will work for me.

That's funny, I feel exactly the opposite. I trained at mostly untowered airports, and much prefer that more "free form" flying experience, as opposed to being told exactly what to do in all phases of airport ops. I find that to be more stressful, personally.

It just goes to show that different pilots have their own perceptions of what is enjoyable vs. stressful in aviation!

I'm definitely in the untowered school. But I think it's probably exactly because of where our training took place . I expect that, if I had ten or twenty hours with an instructor in a towered environment, I'd be just as happy there. Making calls to, and responding to a tower just isn't automatic for me, so it makes it stressful.

Some people seem to struggle with what is controlled airspace and what is not. Basically, controlled airspace is everything except class G. Class A requires an IFR clearance and class B requires a clearance. Class C and D require you to talk to someone. Class E you are pretty much on your own, but should communicate at class E and G airports.

Flying in class C and D is no big deal. I suggest everyone get comfortable communicating with ATC (tower, approach, departure).

All of that it true technically, but in common usage people mean "controlled airspace" to mean airspace where interaction with ATC is required. If somebody said they were flying along in class E and decided to deviate to the south to avoid controlled airspace, we'd all know what they meant.

Yes, some people miscommunicate. If you're going to talk about airspace, you might as well be correct. Aviation is a place where accuracy is important. If the examiner ask you to define controlled airspace your definition in incorrect and not all that "common."

TimTaylor wrote:Yes, some people miscommunicate.

If somebody makes a statement and another person understands exactly what they are saying, is that really miscommunication, or is it communication? A lot of areas of life use "shorthand" to communicate ideas. It doesn't mean the people using the shorthand don't know what is correct, it just means they've developed a way to get ideas across that may be easier than saying "I deviated to avoid the class C airspace, so as to avoid having to establish two-way radio communication and alter my transponder setting in accordance with Federal Aviation Regulations".

We all use shorthand, it's just a a matter of degree. Being pedantically correct in everything we say that is aviation related is impractical. Have you ever asked ATC for "flight following"? The correct term is "VFR traffic advisories". Have you ever used the term "ramp"? The correct term is "apron". Since people know what you mean when you use those terms, it kind of doesn't matter. Some folks might even be confused if you said "apron". But at least you'd be correct I guess...whether or not you have "communicated".

Not every conversation is a checkride, and I don't want people I talk to to grade and correct me as if it were one.

Shorthand is a very different thing than being wrong. Controlled airspace is more than A, B, C, and D. It's very important for VFR pilots and students to understand this.

TimTaylor wrote:Shorthand is a very different thing than being wrong. Controlled airspace is more than A, B, C, and D. It's very important for VFR pilots and students to understand this.

Just like being wrong is very different from being intentionally misunderstood. I have friends who are airline pilots who refer to "controlled aispace" in just the way we are discussing, and I'm pretty sure they know the rules.

Since we don't fly MVFR, IFR, at night, or above 10000ft (except over mountains for you western folk), is there any practical difference at all in G and E to a sport pilot? I couldn't find a single thing that would effect how or where or when I fly as an SP in G and E airspace. What am I missing?

Ron

MrMorden wrote:All of that it true technically, but in common usage people mean "controlled airspace" to mean airspace where interaction with ATC is required. If somebody said they were flying along in class E and decided to deviate to the south to avoid controlled airspace, we'd all know what they meant.

Yes we would.

Airspace is (and always has been) a favorite game.
The winner is one that can recite it, recite it correctly . . . and spit it out the fastest.

I used to play that game. Not any more.
I think I know my airspace, but I am not here to impress anybody with it.
Instead of winning the game, it is just important to know how to safely fit into all of it.

Not that I can think of for a Sport Pilot. But the point is class E is controlled airspace, not uncontrolled airspace. Some people don't understand that and using incorrect terminology does not help. I don't know why anyone would not want to refer to the airspace they use correctly. I guess they don't like the government in their lives.

Please keep the politics off this site.

No

Wm.Ince wrote:

MrMorden wrote:All of that it true technically, but in common usage people mean "controlled airspace" to mean airspace where interaction with ATC is required. If somebody said they were flying along in class E and decided to deviate to the south to avoid controlled airspace, we'd all know what they meant.

Yes we would.

Airspace is (and always has been) a favorite game.
The winner is one that can recite it, recite it correctly . . . and spit it out the fastest.

I used to play that game. Not any more.
I think I know my airspace, but I am not here to impress anybody with it.
Instead of winning the game, it is just important to know how to safely fit into all of it.

This is not a game or contest. It's a discussion. Most of us try to post correct information when we can.

Plain and simple controlled airspace is that airspace for which you need a clearance for IFR flight. For the sport pilot class E and G are the same operationally.

rsteele wrote:Since we don't fly MVFR, IFR, at night, or above 10000ft (except over mountains for you western folk), is there any practical difference at all in G and E to a sport pilot? I couldn't find a single thing that would effect how or where or when I fly as an SP in G and E airspace. What am I missing?

Ron

While you may choose not to fly in MVFR conditions, it is perfectly legal for sport pilots to do so.