Sectional Chart Practice: Symbols and Airport Data

Question 1

An airport is surrounded by a dashed blue circle with a dashed-box number 29 nearby. You want to fly at 150 ft AGL inside the circle. What is needed?

Accepted Answer

ATC authorization — it's Class D, surface up to 2,900 ft MSL — Dashed blue = Class D. The number in a dashed box is the Class D ceiling in hundreds of feet MSL (29 = up to and including 2,900 ft MSL; a minus sign, as in -29, would mean up to but not including 2,900). Class D starts at the surface, so any Part 107 flight inside needs prior ATC authorization under §107.41, typically via LAANC. A note such as 'See NOTAMs/Supplement for Class D eff hrs' means the Class D is part-time.

Answer

Nothing; it's Class E

Answer

Only a call to the FBO

Answer

Authorization only above 400 ft

Question 2

Your site sits on the faded (fuzzy) side of a magenta vignette band, away from any airport rings or dashed lines. What is the airspace from the surface to 400 ft AGL?

Accepted Answer

Class G — Class E starts at 700 ft AGL — A magenta vignette marks the edge of Class E airspace with a floor of 700 ft AGL. The faded side of the band faces the 700 ft area; the sharp edge is the boundary, and beyond it the Class E floor is usually 1,200 ft AGL. Below the Class E floor is Class G, so at 400 ft AGL or lower you need no ATC authorization (all other Part 107 rules still apply). A blue vignette marks a Class E floor other than 700 ft AGL (typically 1,200 ft AGL) that abuts Class G.

Answer

Class E from the surface

Answer

Class C

Answer

Restricted area

Question 3

On a sectional chart, what does a blue airport symbol mean compared with a magenta one?

Accepted Answer

Blue airports have an operating control tower; magenta airports don't — Airports with control towers (CT) are shown in blue, and all others are shown in magenta. The tower can still be part-time, which the airport data block shows with a star after the tower frequency.

Answer

Blue airports are military; magenta are civil

Answer

Blue means a hard-surfaced runway; magenta means turf

Answer

There's no difference; the color is decorative

Question 4

An airport data block reads 285 L 72 122.95. What do 285 and 72 mean?

Accepted Answer

The airport elevation is 285 ft MSL; the longest runway is about 7,200 ft — In an airport data block, the first number is the airport elevation in feet MSL (the highest point on the usable landing area). L means runway lighting is in operation sunset to sunrise (*L means limitations exist; see the Chart Supplement). The next number is the length of the longest active runway, shown to the nearest 100 ft using 70 ft as the rounding point, so 72 is about 7,200 ft. 122.95 is the UNICOM frequency.

Answer

285 is the tower frequency; 72 is the runway heading

Answer

The pattern altitude is 285 ft AGL; 72 is the Class D ceiling

Answer

285 is the magnetic variation; 72 is the runway count

Question 5

The airport data block shows CT – 118.3 ★. What does the star mean?

Accepted Answer

The control tower operates part-time; check the Chart Supplement for hours — CT is the control tower's primary frequency (118.3). The Chart Users' Guide says a star indicates part-time operation; see the Chart Supplement tower frequencies tabulation for hours and for what the airspace becomes when the tower is closed.

Answer

The airport has a 24-hour tower

Answer

The tower frequency is for emergencies only

Answer

A rotating beacon is installed

Sectional Chart Practice: Symbols and Airport Data

Chart Symbols: what the Part 107 test expects

Chart Symbols practice questions

Drill 1: Class D & the boxed number

Drill 2: Magenta vignette

Drill 3: Airport symbol colors

Drill 4: Airport data block

Drill 5: Part-time tower

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