← All explained questions · Supplemental · III — Airport & Seaplane Base Operations
On a VFR sectional chart, a thin DASHED MAGENTA line surrounding a non-towered airport indicates
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the boundary of an MOA.
MOAs use a magenta hash boundary, different symbol.
✓ Class E airspace extending to the surface (typical of airports with weather-reporting and IFR approaches).correct
VFR weather minimums there require 3 SM visibility, ceiling 1,000 ft, and standard cloud separation in controlled airspace. Dashed magenta = surface-based Class E around a non-towered airport with weather reporting (so IFR can be conducted). Below the dashed line ON the airport = Class E to the surface. VFR weather mins in Class E below 10K = 3 SM, 500 below / 1,000 above / 2,000 horizontal from clouds (all standard). Source: AIM 3-2-6 Class E Airspace; FAA Aeronautical Chart User's Guide, Airspace section.
a tower clearance area.
Towers use solid blue circles around the airport.
the airport's noise abatement area.
Noise abatement isn't depicted on sectionals.
Why
VFR weather minimums there require 3 SM visibility, ceiling 1,000 ft, and standard cloud separation in controlled airspace. Dashed magenta = surface-based Class E around a non-towered airport with weather reporting (so IFR can be conducted). Below the dashed line ON the airport = Class E to the surface. VFR weather mins in Class E below 10K = 3 SM, 500 below / 1,000 above / 2,000 horizontal from clouds (all standard). Source: AIM 3-2-6 Class E Airspace; FAA Aeronautical Chart User's Guide, Airspace section.
FAA source: AIM 3-2-6 Class E Airspace; FAA Aeronautical Chart User's Guide, Airspace sectionbrowse the reference library →
Original study question written for this course — representative of FAA knowledge-test topics, not an actual current FAA exam question.