VFR Sectional Chart Symbols & Colors

Airport with an operating control tower. Drawn in blue. All of the airport data printed next to it (name, elevation, runway length, CTAF/tower frequency) is also in blue.

Airport without a control tower. Drawn in magenta, with its data in magenta. Pilots self-announce on the published CTAF.

A filled circle (towered = blue, non-towered = magenta) means the longest hard-surfaced runway is shorter than ~8,069 ft, or the airport has parallel/multiple hard runways.

When the longest hard runway is about 8,069 ft or longer, the airport is drawn as its actual runway layout instead of a plain circle, so you can recognize the pattern from the air.

An open circle (no fill, with small tick marks) indicates the runways are turf, dirt, gravel, or otherwise not hard-surfaced.

Small tick marks (the "rays" or notches around an airport circle) show that fuel and some attendance/services are normally available during business hours.

An anchor symbol marks a water landing area / seaplane base. Color follows the towered (blue) vs non-towered (magenta) rule.

A small circled "H" marks a heliport. Color follows the towered/non-towered rule.

A circle with a small "R" or labeled "Pvt" is a private-use field — not open to the public without prior permission. Often shown only as a reference landmark.

An airport circle with an "X" through it is closed or abandoned. It may still be drawn because the pavement is a useful visual checkpoint.

The text by each airport lists, in order, the name, then field elevation in feet MSL, a lighting note (an asterisk * means lighting is part-time/pilot-controlled or limited), the longest runway length in hundreds of feet, and the CTAF/UNICOM frequencies.

An asterisk in front of the "L" in an airport data block means runway lighting operates on a limited schedule or is pilot-controlled by clicking the radio on the CTAF.

Military airfields are charted much like civil fields, but the name is shown in capital letters with the operating service abbreviation (AFB, NAS, AAF, MCAS). Expect fast military traffic and remember access is restricted.

A small star sitting on top of an airport symbol means the field has a rotating beacon that normally operates from sunset to sunrise (and in some cases when the weather drops below VFR).

The first number after the airport name is the field elevation — the highest point of the usable landing surfaces, in feet above mean sea level (MSL).

The runway figure in the data block is the length of the longest runway in hundreds of feet — append two zeros to read it (e.g., "72" means 7,200 ft).

An "L" after the runway length means runway lighting normally operates dusk-to-dawn. "*L" means the lighting is part-time or pilot-controlled, and no "L" at all means no runway lighting is charted.

"CT - 118.3" in the data block is the control tower frequency, which also serves as the CTAF while the tower is open. When the tower is closed the field reverts to a self-announce CTAF.

Automated weather and information frequencies (ATIS at towered fields, ASOS/AWOS elsewhere) are listed in or near the data block so you can get current conditions before arriving.

UNICOM is a non-government advisory station (often 122.7, 122.8, 122.95, or 123.0) at non-towered fields. It commonly doubles as the CTAF and provides advisories plus services such as fuel.

When a Flight Service Station is located on the airport, it is identified near the airport data; FSS can provide weather briefings, flight plan handling, and local airport advisories.

"RP" followed by runway numbers means a right-hand traffic pattern is in effect for those runways instead of the standard left turns.

The letters "NO SVFR" above an airport name mean Special VFR clearances are not authorized in that airport's surface-based controlled airspace.

A note that the field is an Airport of Entry means U.S. Customs can be cleared there — plan ahead for customs and border requirements when arriving from outside the country.

An "X" drawn over one runway of an otherwise-open airport marks that specific runway as closed, even though the rest of the field is usable.

An "H" symbol with a hospital or emergency-services note marks a heliport used for medical or rescue flights; expect helicopter activity in the area.

Solid blue lines ring the airport in stacked "upside-down wedding cake" layers. Each segment is labeled with its floor and ceiling in hundreds of feet MSL. A two-way clearance is required to enter.

Two solid magenta rings (an inner core and an outer shelf), each labeled with floor/ceiling. Two-way radio contact must be established before entering.

A dashed blue line around a towered airport. A boxed number gives the ceiling in hundreds of feet MSL. Two-way radio contact is required.

A dashed magenta line shows where controlled Class E airspace begins at the ground (often around a non-towered airport with instrument approaches).

A wide fuzzy magenta band (faded toward the inside) marks where the Class E floor steps down to 700 ft AGL — usually to protect instrument approaches.

A wide fuzzy blue band (faded toward the inside) marks where the Class E floor is 1,200 ft AGL. Outside these zones, Class E typically begins at 14,500 ft MSL.

A blue or magenta "zipper" line with a stated altitude shows a Class E floor that differs from the standard 700/1,200 ft — read the labeled value.

Class G is not outlined directly — it is simply the airspace below the depicted Class E floors. Where you see the faded blue/magenta Class E bands, Class G lies beneath them.

A hatched magenta boundary. Military training happens here; VFR flight is allowed but use caution and check the times/altitudes printed in the chart margin tabulation.

A hatched blue boundary labeled with an "R" number. Hazards such as artillery or guided missiles may exist; entry requires permission from the controlling agency.

A hatched blue boundary labeled with a "P" number. Flight is not allowed at any time (e.g., P-40 over Camp David, P-56 over Washington DC).

A hatched blue boundary, typically over international/coastal waters, labeled with a "W" number. Activity may be hazardous to non-participating aircraft.

A hatched blue boundary labeled with an "A" number, marking concentrated pilot training or unusual aerial activity. All pilots share equal responsibility for collision avoidance.

A broken (dashed) magenta line bordering an area where pilots are requested to voluntarily avoid flight. It can be made temporarily mandatory by NOTAM.

A line of evenly spaced boxes/dashes marks the ADIZ boundary. A flight plan and position reporting are required to cross it into US airspace.

Restricted, prohibited, warning, alert, and MOA areas are listed in a margin table giving the controlling agency, the active altitudes, the times of use, and how to check status.

A thin solid magenta ring (usually 30 NM around a Class B primary airport) inside which a Mode C / ADS-B Out transponder is generally required.

Solid black rings with altitudes, where radar sequencing/separation service is available to participating VFR aircraft. Participation is voluntary.

Each Class B segment shows two stacked numbers — the top is the ceiling and the bottom is the floor, both in hundreds of feet MSL (e.g., 100/30 means 10,000 ft down to 3,000 ft). "SFC" as the lower value means the floor is the surface.

Class C rings use the same ceiling-over-floor labeling in hundreds of feet MSL; the inner core is usually based at the surface (SFC) and the outer shelf is based higher.

The number in a dashed box inside Class D airspace is the ceiling in hundreds of feet MSL. A minus sign (e.g., [-25]) means "up to but not including" that altitude.

A star or a "see NOTAM/Chart Supplement" note next to a tower frequency or a Class D/E ceiling box means that controlled airspace (and its tower) operates only part-time; when inactive the airspace reverts to a lower class.

Where no lower Class E floor is charted, controlled Class E airspace generally begins at 14,500 ft MSL across the contiguous United States.

A charted area with extra requirements (such as the Washington, DC SFRA). Pilots must meet specific training, equipment, transponder, and clearance rules to operate within it.

Beyond the charted Class C rings, radar service is also available in an "outer area" out to roughly 20 NM. It is not drawn as a ring but is part of the service the approach control provides.

A boundary (often a line of small dots) outlines national wildlife refuges, parks, and wilderness areas where pilots are requested to maintain at least 2,000 ft AGL.

A hexagon (often shown inside a compass rose) marks a VHF Omnidirectional Range station that provides radial guidance.

A VOR hexagon enclosed in a rectangle with notched corners — a VOR co-located with Distance Measuring Equipment, so you get both bearing and distance.

A VOR hexagon with three solid "tabs" (filled rectangles) on its sides — a VOR combined with military TACAN, giving civil radials plus DME distance.

A magenta circle of dots (sometimes with a dot center) marks a Non-Directional Beacon used with an ADF receiver.

The 360° ring printed around many VORs is oriented to magnetic north and lets you visualize and plan radials to or from the station.

The box near a VOR/NDB lists the station name, the frequency, the three-letter identifier, and the Morse code dots/dashes used to confirm you have the right station.

A line under a NAVAID frequency indicates that no voice is transmitted on that frequency.

A TACAN gives military aircraft both bearing and distance; civilian pilots can use its DME component. It is drawn with a symbol related to the VORTAC tab pattern.

A Non-Directional Beacon co-located with Distance Measuring Equipment, giving ADF bearing information plus slant-range distance.

Distance Measuring Equipment provides slant-range distance in nautical miles to the station. It is usually paired with a VOR or ILS rather than charted by itself.

LF/MF beacons (including marine radiobeacons usable with an ADF) are charted with a dot pattern similar to an NDB.

A VOT transmits a fixed signal used to check VOR receiver accuracy on the ground (and at some sites airborne); its frequency is published in the Chart Supplement, not always on the chart face.

A compass locator is a low-power NDB co-located with an ILS marker beacon; it can be used for the approach and as a fix.

The dot-dash code printed in a NAVAID box is the station's Morse identifier. Listen and match it before relying on the station to confirm it is operating and correctly tuned.

A light-blue corridor labeled "V" plus a number (e.g., V23) connecting VORs. These low-altitude routes are usable VFR for navigation reference.

On terminal area charts, recommended VFR routes and flyways help you transit busy airspace; the VFR flyway side of a TAC shows them with suggested altitudes and checkpoints.

A small flag symbol marks a prominent landmark that ATC and the chart use as a VFR reporting point when entering or transiting busy airspace.

Gray lines labeled "IR" or "VR" plus a number are military training routes — IR flown under instrument rules, VR under visual rules. Three-digit numbers indicate routes operating above 1,500 ft AGL; four-digit numbers indicate routes at or below 1,500 ft AGL. Expect fast, low military traffic.

A magenta four-point star with a five-character name beginning "VP" marks a VFR-only GPS waypoint used to help navigate and report position around busy or complex airspace.

On terminal area charts, published VFR transition routes provide specific headings and altitudes (flown with an ATC clearance) to cross Class B airspace.

A small inverted-V "tent" symbol marks an obstruction less than 1,000 ft above the ground.

A taller obstruction symbol (an inverted V with a small flag/arrow) marks structures 1,000 ft AGL or more above the surrounding ground.

Small "spark" or lightning-bolt rays radiating from the top of an obstacle symbol mean it is lighted at night.

The bold number next to an obstacle is the top elevation in feet MSL; the number in parentheses below it is the height above ground level (AGL).

Two overlapping obstacle symbols indicate a cluster of structures; the printed height applies to the tallest one in the group.

Where obstacles carry high-intensity strobes, the chart notes it so you can expect bright flashing lights on the structure.

A wind-turbine symbol marks a single turbine. The spinning blades make these notable low-altitude hazards; the height labels read like other obstacles (MSL on top, AGL in parentheses).

A cluster of turbines is shown with a turbine symbol and the area outlined or labeled "wind farm"; the printed height applies to the tallest turbine in the group.

An obstacle annotated "UC" is reported but under construction, or its existence/position is not yet verified. Treat it as a hazard regardless.

The tallest charted obstruction is drawn with a bolder symbol and a heavier height value so it stands out from ordinary obstacles.

The large blue numbers in each grid quadrangle give the highest known terrain or obstacle in that block. The first number is thousands of feet and the smaller raised number is hundreds (so "12⁵" means 12,500 ft MSL).

Land is shaded by elevation: greens for the lowest ground, then tans and browns as terrain rises. The legend ties each color band to an altitude range.

Thin brown lines connect points of equal elevation; tightly spaced lines mean steep terrain and widely spaced lines mean gentle slopes.

A dashed magenta line labeled with a degree value (e.g., 10°E) shows the magnetic variation to apply when converting between true and magnetic course.

A dot with a number marks the surveyed elevation of a specific point (such as a peak). The highest terrain point on the chart is shown in bold.

Lakes, rivers, and coastlines are printed in blue and make excellent VFR checkpoints.

The ticks along the printed meridians and parallels are spaced one minute apart, letting you measure and plot a position in degrees, minutes, and seconds.

Soft shadows simulate sunlight to give a three-dimensional sense of ridges and valleys, supplementing the contour lines and elevation color tints.

An agonic line marks zero magnetic variation, where true and magnetic north align. Isogonic lines elsewhere show the degrees of east or west variation to apply.

A line with small dots or ticks represents high-tension power lines, which are hard to see from the air and a real hazard during low-level flight.

Roads are drawn as lines, with interstates and major highways shown heavier. Paired with towns, they make reliable VFR pilotage checkpoints.

A railroad is drawn as a line with regular cross-tick marks (single- or double-track is distinguished); it is a useful linear checkpoint.

Cities and large towns appear as yellow-tinted shapes approximating their built-up footprint, while small towns are shown as small circles.

A star-burst symbol marks a lighted landmark such as a rotating beacon that is not on an airport; it can help with orientation at night.

Distinctive ground features — dams, mines, lookout towers, racetracks, large tanks, and smokestacks — are charted because they are easy to spot and aid pilotage.

Seasonal or dry lakes are drawn with a distinct dashed or stippled blue outline because they may be full or empty depending on the time of year.

A box above or near a VOR lists Flight Service Station frequencies. A thin box on top of the NAVAID box names the controlling FSS and its remote frequencies.

A box drawn with a heavy/bold outline indicates a Flight Service Station whose name is printed inside, with the frequencies it provides nearby.

The Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (often the UNICOM) is listed in the airport data block; a "C" in a small circle flags the CTAF at non-towered or part-time-tower fields.

An RCO is a remote transceiver that lets you reach a Flight Service Station from areas the main site cannot cover. Its frequency is printed near the related FSS or NAVAID.

Frequencies printed on top of a NAVAID box are the Flight Service Station frequencies worked through that site; common ones like 122.2 and the emergency 121.5 are generally available even when not reprinted.

A solid magenta circle containing a white "C" flags the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency to use for self-announcing your position and intentions at a non-towered or part-time-tower field.

A parachute (canopy) symbol marks a location with regular skydiving activity — expect jumpers and stay clear.

A small glider symbol marks an area with frequent sailplane activity.

A symbol of a simple powered aircraft marks an area where ultralight flying is common.

A hang-glider symbol marks sites with frequent hang gliding, often near ridges and mountains.

Special charted reminders (such as wildlife refuge boundaries or moored-balloon sites with tethers reaching high altitudes) warn of hazards or noise-sensitive areas to avoid.

TFRs are not pre-printed (they are temporary) — the chart and legend remind you to check NOTAMs for active TFRs around stadiums, VIP movement, and disasters before every flight.

A balloon symbol marks an aerostat or moored-balloon site. The balloon and its tether can reach high altitudes, so avoid the charted area.

Areas of frequent bird activity may be noted on or near the chart. Bird strikes are a genuine hazard near refuges, coastlines, and landfills.