Return to Answer

Here is a broader A.S.E. answer that also addresses the specific question being asked here: What additional airspace will be off-limits to an a/c w/ no elect. system or xponder under 91.225 (ADS-B) compared to under 91.215?

One final note-- if the aircraft in question has no engine-driven electrical system and no ADS-B-out, then operations conducted within the lateral boundaries of Class B or Class C airspace must be conducted below 10,000' MSL, due to FAR 91.225(e)(2), as explained in more detail in this related answer. There is at least one instance (KSLC) where the floor of a Class B or Class C shelf is above 10,000' MSL, and thus an airplane with no engine-driven electrical system and no ADS-B-out could not legally fly all the way up to the floor of that shelf. An aircraft with no ADS-B-out that does have an engine-driven electrical system must stay below 10,000 MSL in all airspace over the contiguous 48 states that is not below 2,500 AGL due to FAR 91.225(d)(4), and so it too could not legally fly all the way up to the floor of a Class B or Class C shelf above 10,000' MSL, at least if that shelf had a floor higher than 2500' AGL and was located within airspace over the lower 48 states, even if that shelf were outside of any 30-nm Mode C veil, which the above-mentioned shelf at KSLC is not.

One final note-- if the aircraft in question has no engine-driven electrical system and no ADS-B-out, then operations conducted within the lateral boundaries of Class B or Class C airspace must be conducted below 10,000' MSL, due to FAR 91.225(e)(2), as explained in more detail in this related answer. There is at least one instance (KSLC) where the floor of a Class B or Class C shelf is above 10,000' MSL, and thus an airplane with no engine-driven electrical system and no ADS-B-out could not legally fly all the way up to the floor of that shelf. An aircraft with no ADS-B-out that does have an engine-driven electrical system must stay below 10,000 MSL in all airspace over the contiguous 48 states that is not below 2,500 AGL due to FAR 91.225(d)(4), and so it too could not legally fly all the way up to the floor of a Class B or Class C shelf above 10,000' MSL, at least if that shelf had a floor higher than 2500' AGL and was located within airspace over the lower 48 states, even if that shelf were outside of any 30-nm Mode C veil, which the above-mentioned shelf at KSLC is not.

Here is an A.S.E. answer that addresses a question that is somewhat similar what to what is being asked here, but specifically focussed on aircraft lacking an engine-driven electrical system: What additional airspace will be off-limits to an a/c w/ no elect. system or xponder under 91.225 (ADS-B) compared to under 91.215?

It would be illogical to interpret this clause to be inclusive of all airspace (below 10,000' MSL) that is directly "above the ceiling" or "within the lateral boundaries" of a Class B or Class C airspace area, because in that case the "above the ceiling" phrase would be redundant and the clause would have exactly the same meaning if the phrase were simply deleted. All airspace that is located directly above the ceiling of a Class B or Class C airspace area also lies "within the lateral boundaries" of that Class B or Class C airspace area.

One final note-- if the aircraft in question has no engine-driven electrical system and no ADS-B-out, then operations conducted within the lateral boundaries of Class B or Class C airspace must be conducted below 10,000' MSL, due to FAR 91.225(e)(2), as explained in more detail in this related answer. There is at least one instance (KSLC) where the floor of a Class B or Class C shelf is above 10,000' MSL, and thus an airplane with no engine-driven electrical system and no ADS-B-out could not legally fly all the way up to the floor of that shelf. An aircraft with no ADS-B-out that does have an engine-driven electrical system must stay below 10,000 MSL in all airspace over the contiguous 48 states that is not below 2,500 AGL, and so it too could not legally fly all the way up to the floor of a Class B or Class C shelf above 10,000' MSL, at least if that shelf had a floor higher than 2500' AGL and was located within airspace over the lower 48 states, even if that shelf were outside of any 30-nm Mode C veil, which the above-mentioned shelf at KSLC is not.

It would be illogical to interpret this clause to be inclusive of all airspace below 10,000' MSL that is directly "above the ceiling" or "within the lateral boundaries" of a Class B or Class C airspace area, because in that case the "above the ceiling" phrase would be redundant and the clause would have exactly the same meaning if the phrase were simply deleted. All airspace that is located directly above the ceiling of a Class B or Class C airspace area also lies "within the lateral boundaries" of that Class B or Class C airspace area.

One final note-- if the aircraft in question has no engine-driven electrical system and no ADS-B-out, then operations conducted within the lateral boundaries of Class B or Class C airspace must be conducted below 10,000' MSL, due to FAR 91.225(e)(2), as explained in more detail in this related answer. There is at least one instance (KSLC) where the floor of a Class B or Class C shelf is above 10,000' MSL, and thus an airplane with no engine-driven electrical system and no ADS-B-out could not legally fly all the way up to the floor of that shelf. An aircraft with no ADS-B-out that does have an engine-driven electrical system must stay below 10,000 MSL in all airspace over the contiguous 48 states that is not below 2,500 AGL due to FAR 91.225(d)(4), and so it too could not legally fly all the way up to the floor of a Class B or Class C shelf above 10,000' MSL, at least if that shelf had a floor higher than 2500' AGL and was located within airspace over the lower 48 states, even if that shelf were outside of any 30-nm Mode C veil, which the above-mentioned shelf at KSLC is not.

Note that if the aircraft in question has no engine-driven electrical system, then the 30-nm Mode C veil is no longer an issue. In this case the answer given above would also apply to the portions of Class B or Class C shelves that lie within the 30-nm Mode C veil.

Here is a broader A.S.E. answer that also answers the specific question being asked here: What additional airspace will be off-limits to an a/c w/ no elect. system or xponder under 91.225 (ADS-B) compared to under 91.215?

One final note-- if the aircraft in question has no engine-driven electrical system and no ADS-B-out, then operations conducted within the lateral boundaries of Class B or Class C airspace must be conducted below 10,000' MSL, due to FAR 91.225(e)(2), as explained in more detail in this related answer. There is at least one instance (KSLC) where the floor of a Class B or Class C shelf is above 10,000' MSL, and thus an airplane with no engine-driven electrical system and no ADS-B-out could not legally fly all the way up to the floor of that shelf. An aircraft with no ADS-B-out that does have an engine-driven electrical system must stay below 10,000 MSL in all airspace over the contiguous 48 states that is not below 2,500 AGL, and so it too could not legally fly all the way up to the floor of a Class B or Class C shelf above 10,000' MSL, at least if that shelf were located within airspace over the lower 48 states, even if that shelf were outside of any 30-nm Mode C veil, which the above-mentioned shelf at KSLC is not.

Note that if the aircraft in question has no engine-driven electrical system, then the 30-nm Mode C veil is no longer an issue. In this case the answer given above would also apply to the portions of Class B or Class C shelves that lie within the 30-nm Mode C veil-- such an aircraft would be free to fly under those Class B or Class C shelves.

Here is a broader A.S.E. answer that also addresses the specific question being asked here: What additional airspace will be off-limits to an a/c w/ no elect. system or xponder under 91.225 (ADS-B) compared to under 91.215?

One final note-- if the aircraft in question has no engine-driven electrical system and no ADS-B-out, then operations conducted within the lateral boundaries of Class B or Class C airspace must be conducted below 10,000' MSL, due to FAR 91.225(e)(2), as explained in more detail in this related answer. There is at least one instance (KSLC) where the floor of a Class B or Class C shelf is above 10,000' MSL, and thus an airplane with no engine-driven electrical system and no ADS-B-out could not legally fly all the way up to the floor of that shelf. An aircraft with no ADS-B-out that does have an engine-driven electrical system must stay below 10,000 MSL in all airspace over the contiguous 48 states that is not below 2,500 AGL, and so it too could not legally fly all the way up to the floor of a Class B or Class C shelf above 10,000' MSL, at least if that shelf had a floor higher than 2500' AGL and was located within airspace over the lower 48 states, even if that shelf were outside of any 30-nm Mode C veil, which the above-mentioned shelf at KSLC is not.