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<br />control and use of navigable airspace <br />within the United States. The FAA has <br />established the National Airspace <br />System (NAS) to protect persons and <br />property on the ground and to establish <br />a safe and efficient airspace <br />environment for civil, commercial, and <br />military aviation. The NAS is defined <br />as the common network of U.S. <br />airspace, including air navigation <br />facilities; airports and landing areas; <br />aeronautical charts; associated rules, <br />regulations and procedures; technical <br />information; and personnel and <br />material. System components shared <br />jointly with the military are also <br />included as part of this system. <br /> <br />AIRSPACE STRUCTURE <br /> <br />To ensure a safe and efficient airspace <br />environment for all aspects of aviation, <br />the FAA has established an airspace <br />structure that regulates and establishes <br />procedures for aircraft using the <br />National Airspace System. The U.S. <br />airspace structure provides for <br />categories of airspace and identifies <br />them as Classes A, B, C, D, E, and G. <br /> <br />Class A airspace is high level controlled <br />airspace and includes all airspace from <br />18,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) to <br />Flight Level 600 (approximately 60,000 <br />feet MSL). Class B airspace is <br />controlled airspace surrounding high <br />activity commercial service airports (i.e. <br />DFW International Airport). Class C <br />airspace is controlled airspace <br />surrounding lower activity commercial <br />service and some military airports (i.e. <br />Austin-Bergstrom International <br />Airport). Class D airspace is controlled <br />airspace surrounding low activity <br />commercial service and general aviation <br /> <br />1-13 <br /> <br />airports with an airport traffic control <br />tower (A TCT). <br /> <br />All aircraft operating within Class A, B, <br />C, and D airspace must be in constant <br />contact with the air traffic control <br />facility responsible for that particular <br />airspace sector. Class E airspace is <br />controlled airspace surrounding an <br />airport that encompasses all instrument <br />approach procedures and low altitude <br />federal airways. The use of magenta <br />coloring indicates that the floor of the <br />Class E airspace is 700 feet above <br />ground level (AGL). Blue shading <br />indicates a floor of 1200 feet AGL and is <br />found adjacent to Class G airspace. <br />Only aircraft conducting instrument <br />flights are required to be in contact with <br />air traffic control when operating in <br />Class E airspace. Class G airspace is <br />uncontrolled airspace. <br /> <br />San Marcos Municipal Airport is located <br />within Class E airspace. Airspace in the <br />vicinity of San Marcos Municipal <br />Airport is depicted on Exhibit 1B, <br />Regional Airspace. <br /> <br />TERMINAL AREA AND <br />ENROUTE NAVIGATION <br /> <br />Navigational aids are electronic devices <br />that transmit radio frequencies which <br />can be translated by pilots of properly <br />equipped aircraft into point-to-point <br />guidance and position information. The <br />types of electronic navigational aids <br />available for aircraft flying to or from <br />the airport include: <br /> <br />. instrument landing system (ILS), <br /> <br />. very high frequency omni- <br />directional range (VOR) facility, <br />