Narrative:

I fly out of pie. All VFR flts to the east must either get a class B clearance through tampa or fly dangerously low under the class B over tampa bay -- a huge body of water. Tampa class B 1200 ft thru 10000 ft airspace extends from tia to the north for 10 miles. To the south it extends for 25 miles. This 25 mile extension of low altitude airspace is bigger than any other class B in the us. The huge south extension forces VFR pilots to fly at or below 1100 ft when flying over tampa bay. The bay is 10 miles wide and FAA regulations require me to plan my flts such that I am always in a position to make a safe landing. I need to be at 3000 ft in order to glide from the center of tampa bay to a safe landing. At 3000 ft I would need to be in the class B airspace; problem is; tampa approach rarely (my experience is one of 100 attempts) grants class B clearance to VFR traffic over the bay (too busy). This forces me to violate FAA regulations (flight too low over water) on a regular basis. Tampa airspace will tell you they need the huge area to the south because of macdill AFB. 15 years ago this was true when macdill was an F16 training base but now the macdill tower is mostly closed (see NOTAM) and very few military flts (refuel tankers) currently use the airport. The tampa class B from 1200 ft to 10000 ft south of tampa to needs to be re-examined and consideration made for VFR traffic without class B clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT BASED AT PIE VOICED CONCERN REGARDING TPA CLASS B; ATC CLRNC APPROVAL FOR SAME AND OVER WATER ALT REQUIREMENTS.

Narrative: I FLY OUT OF PIE. ALL VFR FLTS TO THE E MUST EITHER GET A CLASS B CLRNC THROUGH TAMPA OR FLY DANGEROUSLY LOW UNDER THE CLASS B OVER TAMPA BAY -- A HUGE BODY OF WATER. TAMPA CLASS B 1200 FT THRU 10000 FT AIRSPACE EXTENDS FROM TIA TO THE N FOR 10 MILES. TO THE S IT EXTENDS FOR 25 MILES. THIS 25 MILE EXTENSION OF LOW ALTITUDE AIRSPACE IS BIGGER THAN ANY OTHER CLASS B IN THE US. THE HUGE S EXTENSION FORCES VFR PLTS TO FLY AT OR BELOW 1100 FT WHEN FLYING OVER TAMPA BAY. THE BAY IS 10 MILES WIDE AND FAA REGULATIONS REQUIRE ME TO PLAN MY FLTS SUCH THAT I AM ALWAYS IN A POSITION TO MAKE A SAFE LANDING. I NEED TO BE AT 3000 FT IN ORDER TO GLIDE FROM THE CENTER OF TAMPA BAY TO A SAFE LNDG. AT 3000 FT I WOULD NEED TO BE IN THE CLASS B AIRSPACE; PROBLEM IS; TAMPA APCH RARELY (MY EXPERIENCE IS ONE OF 100 ATTEMPTS) GRANTS CLASS B CLRNC TO VFR TFC OVER THE BAY (TOO BUSY). THIS FORCES ME TO VIOLATE FAA REGULATIONS (FLT TOO LOW OVER WATER) ON A REGULAR BASIS. TAMPA AIRSPACE WILL TELL YOU THEY NEED THE HUGE AREA TO THE S BECAUSE OF MACDILL AFB. 15 YEARS AGO THIS WAS TRUE WHEN MACDILL WAS AN F16 TRAINING BASE BUT NOW THE MACDILL TOWER IS MOSTLY CLOSED (SEE NOTAM) AND VERY FEW MIL FLTS (REFUEL TANKERS) CURRENTLY USE THE ARPT. THE TAMPA CLASS B FROM 1200 FT TO 10000 FT S OF TAMPA TO NEEDS TO BE RE-EXAMINED AND CONSIDERATION MADE FOR VFR TFC WITHOUT CLASS B CLRNC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.