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Home › Course › Lesson 9: Airspace & B4UFLY
1. Welcome to the Hobby2. Safety & Rules3. Types of RC Planes4. Buyer's Guide5. Simulators6. LiPo Batteries7. Your Transmitter8. Flying Skills9. Airspace & B4UFLY10. Weather11. Finding a Club12. Maintenance
Lesson 9 of 12

Airspace & B4UFLY — Flying Where You Are Supposed To

How airspace works and how to always know if your spot is legal.

Why Airspace Matters

US airspace is carefully organized by the FAA to keep manned aircraft, commercial drones, and recreational flyers safely separated. For most RC flying at club fields and open rural areas, you'll be fine. But every pilot needs to understand the basics — flying in the wrong place has real legal consequences.

The Classes You Need to Know

US Airspace Classes for RC Pilots GROUND LEVEL CLASS G — Uncontrolled Airspace 0 – 700 ft AGL in most areas · No authorization needed ✓ Stay below 400 ft AGL and you're generally legal here CLASS E — Controlled Typically begins at 700–1,200 ft AGL · Not usually a concern if you stay under 400 ft CLASS D / C / B — Around Airports Authorization required even for recreation · Check B4UFLY before flying near any airport 400 ft
Always check the B4UFLY app before flying at any new location — airspace can change with TFRs at any time.
Class G

Uncontrolled airspace. Where most recreational RC flying happens. Below 400 ft AGL, no authorization needed.

Class E

Controlled airspace typically above 700–1,200 ft AGL. Not a concern if you're staying under 400 ft.

Class D

Around smaller airports with towers. Typically 4-mile radius. FAA authorization required even for recreation.

Class C / B

Around larger and major airports. More restrictive. Authorization required and harder to obtain.

400-foot rule: Recreational flyers must stay below 400 feet AGL. Federal law, not a guideline. The only exception is within 400 feet horizontally of a structure.

The B4UFLY App — Check Every New Location

The FAA's free B4UFLY app shows exactly what airspace you're in and whether authorization is needed. Green = fly, yellow = read carefully, red = authorization needed. Always check before flying at a new location.

Download the B4UFLY App →

TFRs — Temporary Flight Restrictions

TFRs appear for presidential visits, airshows, wildfires, sporting events, and more. Always check B4UFLY even at your regular spot. Not knowing about a TFR is not a legal defense.

Never Fly Here Without Authorization

  • Within 5 miles of an airport without checking and obtaining required authorization
  • Over crowds or at stadiums during events
  • Near emergency operations (wildfires, accidents)
  • In national parks (NPS bans RC aircraft in most areas)
  • In or near Washington D.C. (permanent, strictly enforced)

What's Next

Lesson 10 covers flying weather — wind limits, temperature effects, and how to read a forecast before heading out.

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