Do you know all the differences between Control Zones and Control Areas?

Whether you’re a new student Pilot or an experienced Private Pilot, this video is a good review for all of us!

This video was pulled from a longer video that was just added to the Private Pilot Ground School course on the topic of the Airspace Classification System…

Pilot Tip – Control Zone vs Control Area

[00:00:00] Some useful airspace terms that are thrown around all the time when we’re talking about airspace are kind of important for you to understand the whole concept of how we classify and use airspace. 

[00:00:20] So one of the important terms you need to know is the concept of a Control Zone. Control Zones are always surface based. So that means it’s an airspace that touches the ground. Normally they’re circular and five nautical miles in diameter, and we’ve got a picture of the Regina Control Zone. You can see that circle that surrounds the airport symbol. Normally a control zone will be 3000 feet approximately above ground level.  And in many cases that will be noted on the chart. 

[00:00:58] The circle itself is always [00:01:00] shown on the chart and for Class C and D Control Zones, you can see where I’m indicating here, that this Control Zone is a Class D Control Zone to 5,000 feet above sea level. 3,100 feet above the ground. So this one is a hundred feet higher than standard, but all of that information is shown clearly on the chart.

[00:01:26] Whether a Control Zone has been designated C, D or E depends on the Air Traffic Control service that’s provided, and that’s determined by traffic volume.  Traffic volume determines what class of airspace is required within a control zone. The class of airspace dictates whether or not VFR aircraft must report to air traffic control. So in other words, it changes slightly the procedures and the regulation of that airspace.

[00:02:00] [00:02:00] A Control Area is often confused with a Control Zone. The big difference between a Control Area and a Control Zone is that a Control Area is always based above the surface. So in other words, it starts at some elevation above the ground. Usually Control Areas start at 2200 feet above ground, or as indicated on aeronautical charts and frequently it’s different than 2200 feet AGL.

[00:02:33] But the trick is… if it’s not shown, if it’s not indicated where the Control Area starts, you are to assume that it’s 2200 feet above ground level. Some examples of Control Areas would be Airways. So these sort of highways in the sky or pathways between navigation, aides, or airports.  Terminal Control Areas like we have around larger airports where radar services [00:03:00] provided or Control Area Extensions, which are designed to make sure that IFR aircraft remain in controlled airspaces they get lower and closer to an aerodrome.