Class D Airspace

Class D airspace surrounds an airport with an operating control tower. The chart draws it with a blue dashed line. Salinas Municipal has Class D. The box shows its ceiling in hundreds of feet MSL. Minus 25 means from the surface up to, but not including, 2,500 feet MSL.

Without a minus sign, the ceiling is included. The box at Reid-Hillview reads 20, so its Class D goes up to and including 2,000 feet MSL. Before you enter, establish two-way radio communication with the tower. Keep it while you are inside. At or below 2,500 feet above the surface, within 4 nautical miles of the airport, the speed limit is 200 knots indicated.

VFR in Class D needs 3 miles visibility. Stay 500 feet below, 1,000 feet above and 2,000 feet horizontally from clouds. Inside the Class D, VFR needs a ceiling of at least 1,000 feet. To take off, land or enter the pattern, ground visibility must be at least 3 miles. The Salinas tower is part-time. The note on the chart sends you to NOTAMs and the Chart Supplement for the hours.

From October through March, Class D is in effect from 6 in the morning to 7 at night, local time. From April through September, it starts at 5 in the morning. At other times, it becomes Class G. Check the current Chart Supplement and NOTAMs before you fly.