Under which condition does Class C airspace become Class E?

Under which condition does Class C airspace become Class E?

• A. When the tower is in operation
• B. When the tower is not in operation
• C. When the weather is below VFR
• D. When over mountainous terrain

Answer: (B)

Class C airspace relies on active ATC services from the airport’s control tower and approach/departure controls. When the tower is not in operation, those services aren’t being provided, so the airspace designation reverts to Class E. That means the level of ATC protection and the requirement to establish two-way radio communication before entry change accordingly; IFR operations still require clearance, but VFR pilots are not required to talk to ATC in Class E. The other conditions listed do not trigger the reclassification, since they do not reflect the presence or absence of the controlling ATC facility.

Class C airspace relies on active ATC services from the airport’s control tower and approach/departure controls. When the tower is not in operation, those services aren’t being provided, so the airspace designation reverts to Class E. That means the level of ATC protection and the requirement to establish two-way radio communication before entry change accordingly; IFR operations still require clearance, but VFR pilots are not required to talk to ATC in Class E. The other conditions listed do not trigger the reclassification, since they do not reflect the presence or absence of the controlling ATC facility.