Overview
Today's lecture covered how to interpret airport symbols and information on VFR sectional charts, focusing on airport types, symbols, and key features relevant for pilots.
Airport Symbols on VFR Sectionals
- A magenta circle indicates an airport with other-than-hard-surface runways or runways under 1,500 feet long.
- An empty magenta circle means a public use airfield.
- An "H" inside the circle means a heliport.
- An "F" indicates an ultralight flight park.
- A "U" means the airfield is unverified or has unusual operating limitations.
- An "R" signifies a restricted (private) airport; permission required for use unless it's an emergency.
- An "X" indicates an abandoned airport, usually over 3,000 feet, potentially usable for emergency landings.
- A symbol marked "objectionable" means the FAA considers it unsafe or hazardous.
Hard Surface Runway Symbols
- A solid magenta circle with a runway depiction shows a hard-surface runway 1,500–8,069 feet long.
- Tick marks around the symbol mean fuel should be available, but pilots should call ahead.
- A star above the airport symbol indicates a rotating beacon for nighttime location.
Rotating Beacon Meanings
- Civilian airport beacons: alternate green and white.
- Military airport beacons: flash green with two quick whites.
- Heliport beacons: white, yellow, green sequence.
- Seaplane airport beacons: alternating white and yellow.
Control Towers & Chart Colors
- Blue airport symbols indicate control towers; magenta means untowered.
- Blue airports with runways outlined in dark show at least one runway longer than 8,069 feet.
- A dot on the airport symbol depicts a navigational aid like a VOR, VOR/DME, or VORTAC.
- An anchor symbol denotes a seaplane base (may be towered or untowered).
Airport Information Label
- First line: airport name and identifier.
- "CT" plus frequency: control tower and its frequency.
- Star by CT: control tower operates part-time (see chart supplement for hours).
- "C": CTAF (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency) used when tower is closed.
- Weather frequency listed (e.g., for ATIS/ASOS/AWOS).
- Field elevation in feet above mean sea level (MSL).
- "L": lighting active sunset to sunrise; asterisk indicates lighting limitations.
- Number (right): length of longest runway in hundreds of feet.
- "RP" with runway numbers: right-pattern traffic required on listed runways.
- "AOE": airport of entry (customs/border services available).
Key Terms & Definitions
- VFR Sectional — Aeronautical chart for visual flight rules navigation.
- CTAF — Common frequency for pilot self-announcing at non-towered airports.
- ATIS/ASOS/AWOS — Automated weather reporting services at airports.
- VOR/VOR-DME/VORTAC — Types of ground-based navigational aids.
- MSL (Mean Sea Level) — Elevation reference for airport heights.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Download and review the FAA’s Aeronautical Chart User’s Guide for further symbol references.
- Check the chart supplement for additional airport-specific operations or limitations.
- Prepare questions about VORs for the next lesson.