The following best practices have been developed by flight safety officers and experts to enhance the safety of operations in airspace Class E below FL100 to prevent collisions between controlled and uncontrolled aircraft in a mixed traffic environment.

Recommendations for training departments and pilots

• IMPROVE AIRSPACE AWARENESS
  • Train pilots to be aware of airspace structure’s particularities – annual training and NOT only by bulletin
  • Generic briefing on airspace Class E, TMZ and/or RMZ
  • Dedicated airport briefing documents
  • Include risk and threats in unprotected airspace in individual departure and arrival briefing
• OPERATING RECOMMENDATIONS
  • FLY DEFENSIVELY!
  • Maintain Minimum Clean Airspeed or as slow as reasonable
  • Request to use protected airspace – minimise time in airspace Class E and refuse shortcuts if necessary
  • Descend according to the airspace structure on arrival
  • Consider a steep/expedited climb through airspace Class E on departure.
  • If airspace Class E cannot be avoided, request to fly inside a TMZ if provided
  • Consider airspace structure for engine out procedures
  • Consider delaying take-off if conflict with other aircraft is anticipated
• USE OF AUTOMATION IN AIRSPACE CLASS ECHO
  • Minimise visual approaches – they require additional attention
  • Maximise lookout capacity through use of automation (FMS/task sharing)
• SEE AND AVOID
  • Maximise lookout – expect gliders directly below convective clouds
  • No briefings and sterile cockpit below FL100
  • Train right-of-way rules – traffic avoidance in airspace Class E may be contradictory to ATC clearance!
  • VFR traffic may operate up to the vertical airspace limits without transponder
• CONSPICUITY AND TCAS
  • Maximum Display of Lights
  • Consider additional mitigation if TCAS is inoperative: restrict flights into concerned airports and advise ATC

Recommendations for airline management

• Participate at an airline level in appropriate activities, such as aircraft proximity evaluation groups and airspace coordination committees, industry and regulating authority meetings.
• Maximise reporting through internal process optimisation and pilot awareness.

Further Reading

• Best practices for commercial operations in airspace class E in Germany below FL100