What do the airport symbols and data on a sectional chart mean?
Blue airports have a control tower; magenta airports do not. Beside each airport the chart prints its elevation in feet, the longest runway in hundreds of feet, the lighting symbol, and the CTAF or tower frequency. A star after the tower frequency means the tower is part-time. Public and private fields use different symbols.
The airport elevation is the highest point on the usable portion of the landing areas, and the runway length is the longest active runway, rounded to the nearest 100 feet using 70 as the rounding point, so 8,070 feet is charted as 81 and 8,069 feet as 80. The chart notes that usable length may be less, and that when information is lacking the character is replaced by a dash. Lighting codes refer to runway edge lights, and a dash means none.
The symbol itself shows the kind of field: public use with hard-surfaced runways greater than 8,069 feet or 1,500 to 8,069 feet, other than hard-surfaced runways, seaplane base, heliport, military, or a restricted or private field (non-public use, labeled Pvt). Runway patterns are drawn at airports with at least one hard-surfaced runway of 1,500 feet or more, and fuel availability is shown by tick marks. A boxed airport name means a Special Traffic Rule applies, and NO SVFR above the name means fixed-wing special VFR is prohibited.
For a Part 107 pilot, a blue airport has an operating control tower, and the airspace around it is drawn separately (see our Class B, C, D and E pages). 14 CFR 107.43 forbids interfering with operations and traffic patterns at any airport, heliport or seaplane base. The authorization rule is on our 14 CFR 107.41 and 107.43 page. For lighting limits, services and hours, the chart sends you to the Chart Supplement.
Airports having control towers (CT) are shown in blue, all others are shown in magenta.
Chart Users' Guide, Airport Data
The elevation of an airport is the highest point on the usable portion of the landing areas. Runway length is the length of the longest active runway, including displaced thresholds and excluding overruns. Runway length is shown to the nearest 100', using 70 as the rounding point; a runway 8070' in length is charted as 81, while a runway 8069' in length is charted as 80.
Chart Users' Guide, Airports (Continued)
Star indicates operation part-time. See tower frequencies tabulation for hours of operation
Remote Pilot Study Guide, Radio Procedures
These frequencies can be found on a sectional chart by the airport or in the Chart Supplements publication from the FAA.
Blue versus magenta shows whether the airport has a control tower; whether it is public or private is shown by the symbol and a Pvt label.
Runway length is in hundreds of feet with 70 as the rounding point, so 8,070 feet prints as 81 but 8,069 feet prints as 80, and the usable length may be less.
The elevation printed with the airport is the highest point on the usable landing areas, in feet above mean sea level, not the height above the surrounding ground.
A star after the tower frequency means the tower operates part-time; look in the tower frequency tabulation for the hours.
Quick quiz: 3 questions
Similar to the FAA test, not the actual test questions. Each answer shows its FAA source.
Question 1 of 3
Refer to the chart excerpt. What is the CTAF for KROELINGER (29N)?
Tap the figure to open it full size.
A 122.8
B 122.95
C 122.9
Show the answer
Answer: C. 122.9
The frequency printed beside the CTAF symbol (the letter C in a circle) next to the airport name is the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency. For Kroelinger (29N) it is 122.9. The 93 is the field elevation in feet MSL and the 21 is the longest runway in hundreds of feet.
Refer to the chart excerpt. What is the elevation of HAGERSTOWN RGNL/RICHARD A HENSON FLD (HGR)?
Tap the figure to open it full size.
A 70 feet MSL
B 1,201 feet MSL
C 703 feet MSL
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Answer: C. 703 feet MSL
The italic number 703 in the airport data block is the field elevation in feet MSL (the NASR record lists 703.1 feet). The 70 that follows the L is the longest runway in hundreds of feet (7,000 feet).
Where do I find lighting, services and tower hours that the chart does not show?
The legend tells pilots to consult the Chart Supplement for details about airport lighting, navigation aids and services, and the chart carries a tabulation of tower hours.
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