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N787TR

Active Member
I'm planning a flight up to Seattle in the next few weeks and am a bit confused regarding the airspace. It appears that the Class D airspace around Boeing Field actually penetrates the Class B above it. So if I am talking to Boeing Field, what ceiling do I need to respect? Also, SeaTac seems to have both Class B and Class D... if I wanted to transit the Class D to the west of SeaTac and below the Class B, who would I talk to? Anybody familiar with the area? Thanks in advance.
 
Your best bet is to talk to Seattle Approach coming into the area and they will switch you to Boeing tower at the appropriate time. If you have to fly higher and need a Class B clearance, Seattle Approach should be able to accommodate you.

I can see why you are a bit confused because the charting indicates Class D west of SEATAC below 3000. In my experience, you are talking to Seatlle Approach in that area even if you are below the Class B.
 
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Google it - "Boeing VFR arrival and departure"

Boeing Field has a very nice 4 page PDF that explains everything for VFR arrival and departure... just like all airports that overlap Class B. The document explains everything you need to know.
 
Google:

"vfr procedures king county"

and the pdf should show up as the first link.

Tim
 
Makes sense... sorta.

Thanks for the link to the King County website. That helps quite a bit. But is it unusual to see Class B and D overlapping? I'm not clear why SeaTac even has Class D airspace when the Class B seems to have them covered. Seems odd.
 
N787TR said:
Thanks for the link to the King County website. That helps quite a bit. But is it unusual to see Class B and D overlapping? I'm not clear why SeaTac even has Class D airspace when the Class B seems to have them covered. Seems odd.
Click to expand...

from the AIM 4-3-2

"Not all airports with an operating control tower will have Class D airspace. These airports do not have weather reporting which is a requirement for surface based controlled airspace, previously known as a control zone."


So if it has a tower and weather reporting, it has a Delta. VFR cloud minima are also different in the delta than the bravo. curious as to whether they stick with class B requirements or class d if they overlap. would probably revert to the most restrictive?
 
Interesting to find this excerpt from FAA Order 7400.9W that describes specifically the airspace coordinates:

a. The Class D airspace area listed below consists of airspace extending upward from the surface and designated as an extension to a Class B surface area.

ANM WA D1 Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, WA
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, WA
(lat. 47°26'56"N., long. 122°18'34"W.)
Seattle Boeing Field/King County International Airport, WA
(lat. 47°31'48"N., long. 122°18'07"W.)
9/15/12 JO 7400.9W
D-158
That airspace extending upward from the surface to but not including 3,000 feet MSL beginning at lat. 47°22'37"N., long. 122°14'53"W., clockwise along the 5-mile radius of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to lat. 47°29'38"N., long. 122°24'46"W., thence clockwise along the 5-mile radius of Boeing Field/King County International Airport to lat. 47°30'00"N., long. 122°25'00"W., thence east along a line to lat. 47°30'00"N., long. 122°18'00"W., thence southeast along a line to lat. 47°26'00"N., long. 122°14'51"W., thence south along a line to lat. 47°25'49"N., long. 122°14'54"W., thence south along a line to the point of beginning excluding that airspace within the Seattle, WA, Class B airspace area.

A close look at this is a bit confusing because it says this Class D is an "extension to Class B surface area" but actually extends through Class B that is 2000' to 10000'. Seems like a bit of a "gotcha" the way the airspace is set up.

Since it is Class D airspace, Class D cloud clearance requirements for VFR would apply.
 
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