Class B airspace is located around the nation's busiest airports; what is its typical vertical extent?

Class B airspace is located around the nation's busiest airports; what is its typical vertical extent?

• A. Surface to 10,000 feet
• B. Surface to 4,000 feet
• C. 10,000 to 18,000 feet
• D. Surface to 12,000 feet

Answer: (A)

Class B airspace around the nation's busiest airports is built in layered shelves that extend from the surface up to a ceiling of 10,000 feet above mean sea level. The important point is that the top of Class B is 10,000 feet MSL, even though the bases of those shelves can start at different altitudes. This structure keeps all traffic within a clearly defined, highly controlled zone and requires explicit ATC clearance to enter, along with two-way radio communication and an altitude-reporting transponder. Phrased differently, it’s not from the surface to 4,000 feet, nor does it extend up to 12,000 or 18,000 feet—the standard ceiling is 10,000 feet.

Class B airspace around the nation's busiest airports is built in layered shelves that extend from the surface up to a ceiling of 10,000 feet above mean sea level. The important point is that the top of Class B is 10,000 feet MSL, even though the bases of those shelves can start at different altitudes. This structure keeps all traffic within a clearly defined, highly controlled zone and requires explicit ATC clearance to enter, along with two-way radio communication and an altitude-reporting transponder. Phrased differently, it’s not from the surface to 4,000 feet, nor does it extend up to 12,000 or 18,000 feet—the standard ceiling is 10,000 feet.