A C172 pilot on departure from HHR was told he is in Class B airspace, which the chart does not indicate; the reporter was told there is a delegation of airspace to LAX, but the airspace change is not shown on the chart.
Synopsis
A C172 pilot on departure from HHR was told he is in Class B airspace, which the chart does not indicate; the reporter was told there is a delegation of airspace to LAX, but the airspace change is not shown on the chart.
Narrative
Rewritten in plain English from NASA’s original all-caps telegraphic report — facts, figures, and terminology preserved.
I was cleared for a VFR 'standard departure' from Hawthorne airport (CA) runway 25. After takeoff, I flew straight in maximum performance climb to Hawthorne Boulevard (noise abatement procedure); then turned left heading approximately 200 degrees to intercept shoreline 1-2 miles north of King Harbor.
About 3 miles from King Harbor, I was advised by tower operator I had entered LAX Class B airspace. I advised tower I was not aware of that. My altitude was approximately 2000 feet MSL. Overlying Class B is charted at 5000-12500 feet MSL. Tower advised 'LAX Class B surface area' is 'TRW and west.' Hawthorne Class D airspace is depicted on the chart in this area.
Later telecon with a different HHR tower operator confirmed the airspace is HHR Class D but there is a letter of sub-delegation for the airspace west of 405 freeway to LAX tower. This agreement is unknown to most local pilots except for Banner Tow and Heli which operate in the immediate area. I recommend that LAX/HHR towers publish a local 'letter to airmen' and post on the airport prominently instructions for VFR departures to remain clear of the sub-delegated LAX airspace. The addition of phraseology such as 'remain east of 405 freeway until past TRW southbound' to takeoff clearances (VFR) would help; if that is what is desired.
Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states there has been no follow up regarding this incident; except on his part. He voluntarily called the tower though not requested to do so. Hawthorne Boulevard is the first road west of the runway and Highway 405 is the second road off the end of the runway. TRW is a building which is a prominent landmark in the area. Reporter spoke with a local pilot examiner who is active in local airspace problems. He too felt the chart does not show any controlled airspace aside from the Class D in this area. Reporter feels a line on the chart indicating where the delegation of airspace occurs, to segregate the two areas, would allow pilots to be aware that this airspace change exists.
Show the original NASA report (verbatim, telegraphic)
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
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.