How to read a sectional chart
Airspace lines, airport symbols and the numbers that keep you clear of terrain.
A sectional chart is the VFR pilot's main map. Each one covers a big area at a scale of 1:500,000 (about 6.86 nm per inch) and shows terrain, airports, airspace, navaids and obstacles. Sectionals are updated every 56 days.
Airspace on the chart
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| Solid blue lines | Class B airspace (altitudes shown as top over bottom, in hundreds of feet MSL) |
| Solid magenta lines | Class C airspace |
| Dashed blue line | Class D airspace (ceiling shown in a box, in hundreds of feet MSL) |
| Dashed magenta line | Class E airspace that starts at the surface |
| Faded magenta band (vignette) | Class E starts at 700 ft AGL inside it |
| Faded blue band | Class E starts at 1,200 ft AGL inside it |
| Blue or magenta hatched boxes | Special use airspace: restricted, prohibited, MOAs, warning areas |
Airports
- Blue airport symbol: a towered airport.
- Magenta symbol: a non-towered airport.
- The data block shows the name, identifier, CTAF or tower frequency, elevation, lighting and longest runway length (in hundreds of feet).
Maximum elevation figures
The big numbers in each latitude-longitude box are maximum elevation figures (MEF), in thousands and hundreds of feet MSL. A 34 means 3,400 ft. They tell you the highest terrain or obstacle in that box, plus a buffer.
Source: FAA Aeronautical Chart User's Guide.
Practice with real charts in the sectional charts lesson and plan a trip in the flight planner.
Common questions
What scale is a sectional chart?
1:500,000, about 6.86 nautical miles per inch.
How often are sectional charts updated?
Every 56 days.
What does a magenta airport mean on a sectional?
A magenta airport symbol is a non-towered airport. Blue means it has a control tower.
Sources, review & change history
- Published
- Oct 26, 2026
- Review status
- Written from the FAA sources linked in the text. Not yet re-checked line by line or reviewed by a flight instructor.
- Changes
- Oct 26, 2026: first published.
Study aid only. Your instructor, current 14 CFR and the FAA's handbooks and ACS have the final word.