Hello everyone, first I want to mention that I generate my flight plans using the AH2 add-on; and I recently got a job in a mountainous area.

I'm creating the flight plan with the Little NavMap add-on. After adjusting the east/west IFR/VFR rules, the add-on suggests flying at 13,500 ft.

What's the problem with that altitude? Well, I would be flying a route in Air Class A (Little NavMap tells me this area starts from 11,500 ft to 24,000 ft), and that would be prohibited under the VFR flight plan.

Now, the navigation charts for the VFR departure have the last waypoint at an altitude of 11,000 ft. This waypoint is close to other VFR departure waypoints from another airport, and I was wondering if I could use those waypoints, considering they are departures from other airports.

If so, the problem is that those waypoints are at a minimum/maximum altitude (12,000 ft), but they're within Class A airspace. Why do those VFR departure waypoints from those airports impose that altitude restriction within a Class A airspace zone?

I think this would be an exception due to the mountainous area, and it would be the only instance where one could fly through Class A airspace under VFR until exiting the zone.

If so, could my flight plan then take the other 12,000 ft waypoints and maintain that altitude until exiting Class A airspace, and then resume cruise altitude at 13,500 ft, or...

Perform an IFR departure until exiting Class A airspace and then switch to VFR?

Or what other alternatives, suggestions, or experiences do you have?

Thank you.

On 11/7/2025 at 5:07 PM, wilivarob said:

Now, the navigation charts for the VFR departure have the last waypoint at an altitude of 11,000 ft. This waypoint is close to other VFR departure waypoints from another airport, and I was wondering if I could use those waypoints, considering they are departures from other airports.

Which airports are these exactly?

I've never seen VFR departure procedures that specify hard altitudes (as opposed to maximum altitudes) at waypoints. (Many countries don't have VFR departure procedures at all.) Do you have links to charts for these procedures?

2 hours ago, martinboehme said:

Which airports are these exactly?

I've never seen VFR departure procedures that specify hard altitudes (as opposed to maximum altitudes) at waypoints. (Many countries don't have VFR departure procedures at all.) Do you have links to charts for these procedures?

Hi, sure, here are the PDFs and I'll explain:

1. SKGY, departure UBATE2B, its intersections are:
- Leaving via BIMA, turn towards PUENTE, then towards GRANADA, turn towards TIBITOC, then ARENERA, and finally FARALLONES.

2. SKBO, departure QUIRA2B, its intersections are:
- Upon takeoff, turn right towards SUBA, then turn towards LOMITA, cross GUYMARAL airport, intercept GRANADA (here you would already be intercepting the SKGY airport route), and the final point is ZIPAQUIRA.

So when I mention if it's possible to intercept VFR departures from the other airports, I mean if, leaving SKBO, you can fly to GRANADA and from there, take TIBITOC, then ARENERA, and finally FARALLONES, using the altitudes shown on the chart.

In addition, certain intersections such as ZIPAQUIRA (ZIP), FARALLONES, SUESCA, LA CALERA can be seen there at an altitude where one is entering Class A airspace, where these VFR flights are supposedly prohibited.

 

 

1 hour ago, wilivarob said:

So when I mention if it's possible to intercept VFR departures from the other airports, I mean if, leaving SKBO, you can fly to GRANADA and from there, take TIBITOC, then ARENERA, and finally FARALLONES, using the altitudes shown on the chart.

You could theoretically do that, but that wouldn't be a published procedure, so I doubt ATC would clear you for that. But you can request anything...

1 hour ago, wilivarob said:

In addition, certain intersections such as ZIPAQUIRA (ZIP), FARALLONES, SUESCA, LA CALERA can be seen there at an altitude where one is entering Class A airspace, where these VFR flights are supposedly prohibited.

That does look pretty puzzling initially.

I've poked around the Colombian AIP, and the explanation seems to be that the AIP gives an exception for VFR flights in this class A airspace. (So yes, this is an example where VFR in class A is actually a thing!)

From ENR 2.1:

"4.1.1. El TMA de Bogotá es un espacio aéreo controlado que se extiende desde 11.500’ hasta FL-245. Se encuentra dividido en cuatro sectores: Terminal Norte, Bogotá llegadas, Terminal Sur y Terminal oeste. La clasificación y las especificaciones de los mismos están consignadas en el anexo A de esta carta.

[...]

4.1.4. Las aeronaves que operen con plan de vuelo VFR, dentro del TMA de Bogotá deberán mantenerse a o por debajo de 11.500 FT excepto lo descrito en a) y b).
a. Cuando pretendan cruzar la Cordillera Central vía EL PASO o LETRAS podrán ascender en este tramo hasta 14.500 FT o 500 FT por debajo de la altitud mínima en ruta (MEA).
b. Cuando procedan desde o hacia los llanos orientales vía GUATEQUE podrán ascender en este tramo hasta 13.500 FT. Por fuera del CTR Eldorado establecerán comunicación con Bogotá Información, en frecuencia 126.9 MHz para recibir los servicios de Tránsito Aéreo en concordancia con la clase de espacio aéreo “G”."

Google Translate translates this into English as follows:

"4.1.1. The Bogotá TMA is a controlled airspace extending from 11,500 ft to FL-245. It is divided into four sectors: North Terminal, Bogotá Arrivals, South Terminal, and West Terminal. Their classification and specifications are detailed in Annex A of this document.

[...]

4.1.4. Aircraft operating with a VFR flight plan within the Bogotá TMA must maintain an altitude of 11,500 ft or below, except as described in a) and b).

a. When crossing the Central Mountain Range via EL PASO or LETRAS, aircraft may climb to 14,500 ft or 500 ft below the Minimum En Route Altitude (MEA) in this segment.

b. When traveling to or from the Eastern Plains via GUATEQUE, aircraft may climb to 13,500 ft in this segment. Outside the Eldorado CTR, they will establish communication with Bogotá Información, on frequency 126.9 MHz to receive Air Traffic services in accordance with airspace class “G”."

(Annex A goes on to say that all four sector are class A airspace.)

Edit: You've certainly piqued my interest -- I'll have to do some flying in Colombia!

Edited November 19, 2025Nov 19 by martinboehme

15 hours ago, martinboehme said:

You could theoretically do that, but that wouldn't be a published procedure, so I doubt ATC would clear you for that. But you can request anything...

OK, so what you recommend is to do a separate procedure, and respect the procedures of each of your airports, without interfering with the others.

 

15 hours ago, martinboehme said:

"4.1.1. The Bogotá TMA is a controlled airspace extending from 11,500 ft to FL-245. It is divided into four sectors: North Terminal, Bogotá Arrivals, South Terminal, and West Terminal. Their classification and specifications are detailed in Annex A of this document.

[...]

I had already received this information in another group, thanks anyway.

1 minute ago, wilivarob said:

OK, so what you recommend is to do a separate procedure, and respect the procedures of each of your airports, without interfering with the others.

For sim purposes, that's what I'd probably do, as I'd assume that that would be most likely what you would get in the real world.

But of course, also in the real world, you can always request something different if you need it, and in the sim, you can pretend the controller approved it.

The airport I fly out of in real life has a set of published VFR approach and departure procedures, but it's common to request something different from the controllers. They may or may not approve it, depending on traffic, workload, and other factors.

4 hours ago, martinboehme said:

For sim purposes, that's what I'd probably do, as I'd assume that that would be most likely what you would get in the real world.

But of course, also in the real world, you can always request something different if you need it, and in the sim, you can pretend the controller approved it.

The airport I fly out of in real life has a set of published VFR approach and departure procedures, but it's common to request something different from the controllers. They may or may not approve it, depending on traffic, workload, and other factors.

Okay, thanks.