Regulation Text
(a) General. Unless otherwise authorized by ATC, each aircraft operation in Class C airspace must be conducted in compliance with this section and § 91.129. For the purpose of this section, the primary airport is the airport for which the Class C airspace area is designated. A satellite airport is any other airport within the Class C airspace area.
(b) Traffic patterns. No person may take off or land an aircraft at a satellite airport within a Class C airspace area except in compliance with FAA arrival and departure traffic patterns.
(c) Communications. Each person operating an aircraft in Class C airspace must meet the following two-way radio communications requirements:
(1) Arrival or through flight. Each person must establish two-way radio communications with the ATC facility (including foreign ATC in the case of foreign airspace designated in the United States) providing air traffic services prior to entering that airspace and thereafter maintain those communications while within that airspace.
(2) Departing flight. Each person—
(i) From the primary airport or satellite airport with an operating control tower must establish and maintain two-way radio communications with the control tower, and thereafter as instructed by ATC while operating in the Class C airspace area; or
(ii) From a satellite airport without an operating control tower, must establish and maintain two-way radio communications with the ATC facility having jurisdiction over the Class C airspace area as soon as practicable after departing.
(d) Equipment requirements. Unless otherwise authorized by the ATC having jurisdiction over the Class C airspace area, no person may operate an aircraft within a Class C airspace area designated for an airport unless that aircraft is equipped with the applicable equipment specified in § 91.215, and after January 1, 2020, § 91.225.
(e) Deviations. An operator may deviate from any provision of this section under the provisions of an ATC authorization issued by the ATC facility having jurisdiction over the airspace concerned. ATC may authorize a deviation on a continuing basis or for an individual flight, as appropriate.
[Docket 24458, 56 FR 65659, Dec. 17, 1991, as amended by Amdt. 91-232, 58 FR 40736, July 30, 1993; Amdt. 91-239, 59 FR 11693, Mar. 11, 1994; Amdt. 91-314, 75 FR 30193, May 28, 2010]
Research Notes
Section 91.130 governs operations in Class C airspace. Class C surrounds airports with a control tower, an approach control facility, and a radar service — typically large regional airports without the volume to be Class B.
Paragraph (b) — Two-way radio comms AND a transponder required: No person may operate an aircraft to, from, through, or in Class C UNLESS: (1) two-way radio communications are established with the ATC facility providing radar service prior to entering; AND (2) the aircraft is equipped with an operating Mode C (or Mode S) transponder with altitude reporting (per § 91.215).
Paragraph (c) — Arrivals and overflights: The pilot must establish two-way radio communications with the ATC facility (typically the approach control) BEFORE entering Class C. Communications are established when the controller has called the aircraft by call sign.
The 'November Three Four Two Three Uniform, standby' scenario: Communications are established when the controller acknowledges the aircraft by call sign — even if the controller is too busy to provide a service. The pilot may enter Class C. If the controller says 'aircraft calling [facility], standby,' communications are NOT established and the pilot must remain clear.
Paragraph (d) — Departures: Each pilot must establish two-way radio comms with the ATC facility providing service before departure.
Paragraph (e) — Equipment requirements remain even outside service hours: Class C airspace exists as charted regardless of whether radar service is currently being provided. If radar service is unavailable (typically due to facility hours or equipment outage), the airspace REVERTS to Class D or Class E (depending on the local LOA). The 4,000-foot transponder requirement remains.
Paragraph (f) — Speed: § 91.117(b) — 200 KIAS within 4 NM and below 2,500 AGL.
Mode C veil — § 91.215(b)(2): Around every Class C airport, a Mode C transponder is required for any flight within 30 NM from the primary airport (the Mode C veil) from the surface up to 10,000 MSL. This is broader than Class C airspace itself and catches operations in nearby airspace that doesn't otherwise require a transponder.
Reference: AIM 3-2-4 on Class C airspace; FAA-H-8083-25 (PHAK) Chapter 15.
Amendment History
Amendment History Coming Soon
Every time this regulation changes, we'll record it here — the date, what was amended, and a plain-English summary of what shifted.