Pilot/Controller Glossary

AIRSPACE HIERARCHY

This reproduces published FAA reference text for study. It does not replace the current official FAA publication or regulation.

Within the airspace classes, there is a hierarchy and, in the event of an overlap of airspace: Class A preempts Class B, Class B preempts Class C, Class C preempts Class D, Class D preempts Class E, and Class E preempts Class G.

Retrieved from ecfr.gov on July 18, 2026.