Sectional Chart Practice: Symbols and Airport Data

Answer: C. 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.

Source: FAA Aeronautical Chart Users' Guide (eff. 9 Jul 2026), VFR Terms and Symbols: Airspace, Class D, p. 16, and VFR Symbology: Airspace Information, Class D, p. 27; FAA-G-8082-22 Remote Pilot sUAS Study Guide, Ch. 2, Class D Airspace, p. 6; 14 CFR §107.41

Answer: A. 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.

Source: FAA Aeronautical Chart Users' Guide (eff. 9 Jul 2026), VFR Terms and Symbols: Airspace, Class E, p. 17, and VFR Symbology: Airspace Information, Class E, p. 27; FAA-G-8082-22 Remote Pilot sUAS Study Guide, Ch. 2, Class E and Class G Airspace, p. 6

Answer: C. 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.

Source: FAA Aeronautical Chart Users' Guide (eff. 9 Jul 2026), VFR Symbology: Airports, p. 23, and VFR Terms and Symbols: Airports, p. 15

Answer: A. 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.

Source: FAA Aeronautical Chart Users' Guide (eff. 9 Jul 2026), VFR Terms and Symbols: Airports, p. 15, and VFR Symbology: Airport Data, p. 24

Answer: C. 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.

Source: FAA Aeronautical Chart Users' Guide (eff. 9 Jul 2026), VFR Terms and Symbols: Airports, p. 15, and VFR Symbology: Airport Data, p. 24