Class A Airspace
What is Class A airspace?
Class A airspace extends from 18,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) up to and including flight level (FL) 600 (60,000 feet), including the airspace over waters within 12 nautical miles of the coast of the 48 contiguous states and Alaska. Unless otherwise authorized, all operations in Class A airspace must be conducted under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). Think of it as the high-altitude "highway in the sky" reserved for instrument-rated pilots on IFR flight plans.
Also known as: Class Alpha airspace
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