How to Request a Transition Through Class D Airspace

Is control tower avoidance a flight school tradition or a legitimate rule?

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, August 05, 2026 at 09:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Air traffic control tower [Credit Meg Godlewski]

Key Takeaways:

There is no special FAA rule preventing student pilots from transitioning Class D airspace; the advice to avoid it is likely "tribal knowledge" or misinformation.
Tower-avoidance behavior often stems from CFIs who prefer to avoid the "hassle" of communicating with ATC, normalizing a fear of controlled airspace.
CFIs should proactively teach and demonstrate proper procedures for requesting and executing Class D transitions, empowering students while also preparing them for potential denials.

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Question: I am a new-hire CFI who just started flying at an airport near a Class D facility. The school CFIs teach you should take the long way around the Class D airport when flying in the local area rather than asking for permission to transition the airspace. A few said a previous CFI told them student pilots aren’t allowed to transition to the Class D. I haven’t found any documentation on this. Is there some special rule about student pilots and Class D that I’m just not aware of?

Answer: Without knowing which Class D you are referring to, it is difficult to provide a succinct answer. As described, this sounds like convoluted “tribal knowledge.”