It’s been about four months since the FAA finalized the long-awaited changes to the Los Angeles class bravo airspace. Though the new airspace configuration has been ready for publication, nothing has changed on the charts as yet.
That’s about to change.
With the December 22nd editions of the VFR Terminal Area and Sectional charts, the new airspace will be in effect. So my fellow pilots, if you’re the type who is a bit more… “lax” about keeping your VFR charts, GPS databases, Pilots Guide, and other navigational flotsam up to date, be sure you have the latest update by the 22nd of the month or you could very well find yourself in bravo airspace without knowing it.
I bring this up because the importance of the December 22nd update has not been widely disseminated, and I’m guessing that this airspace reconfiguration is going to cost a few unprepared pilots some time on the bench after a violation.
If you know an aviator who could benefit from this information, pass it along. Because in today’s world, when someone busts airspace, we all lose.
I don’t actively fly GA in SoCal anymore so probably won’t be purchasing a new Class B chart anytime soon. Care to summarize the changes for a curious ex-POC’er?
The class bravo airspace has basically been reduced to the northwest and the southeast (over SNA), and extended to the east (over CNO at 9-10k).
It’s that extension to the east (which is for jets on approach to LAX) that I think will catch some pilots unaware, especially people transiting the basin at 9500 who think they are clear of the class B airspace at that altitude and location.
The Terminal chart published on 12/22 was actually printed without the correct undated information … This link takes you to the AOPA notice about the mistake http://download.aopa.org/epilot/2005/051221ca-flyway.pdf