FLYING Magazine
Question: I am a student pilot who has just entered the solo cross-country phase. I fly out of a nontowered airport that is near several military air bases. There is a flight instructor at the school that teaches the best practice is to plan a route that takes you around military airspace rather than through it. Does it take special training and an endorsement to fly through military airspace, or is it off limits to civilians?
Answer: Unless there is a temporary flight restriction (TFR) over the military base, or some other published restriction, it is just controlled airspace, usually Class C or D.
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The reason the CFI at the flight school advocates flying around the military airspace (or any controlled airspace) rather than directly through it may be to extend the length of the flight. When training to be a pilot, you want all the time you can get.
Unfortunately this practice can lead to a misunderstanding about the legality of transitioning controlled airspace or give the student the impression it is challenging to request permission to transition. Usually it isn’t.
Like any other Class D or C airspace you would have to request permission to transition from the tower just as you would at a civilian airport. If ATC denies the request and tells you to stay out of the airspace, obey. Take the long way around.
If they grant you permission to transition, expect to get an altitude limitation—for example, “above 2,100 feet”—and a discreet squawk code if you’re not already using one.
As far as required special training, there really isn’t anything special, but it can be extra fun if the pilot has a connection to the base.
I had one student who had just been accepted to the U.S. Air Force Academy. He wanted to fly C-17s. As we overflew Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Washington, I asked permission to circle twice as we had an Air Force cadet on board and he would like to take a look at the airplanes he aspired to fly.
Permission was granted. When we announced we were departing the area, ATC advised us to change frequency and added, “See you in four years, son.”
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