SECTIONAL SPY

A free sectional chart symbols quiz: find it, tap it, read it, before the timer runs out.

How to play

Every round is a freshly drawn VFR sectional. A prompt tells you what to find, such as a non-towered airport with a hard-surfaced runway, the VORTAC, or an obstruction above 1,000 ft AGL. Tap the symbol, or read a data block and pick an answer such as field elevation or the MEF. You have three lives and each prompt has a timer. Pinch, scroll wheel or the + and - buttons zoom the chart. Faster answers and streaks score more. The daily challenge gives everyone the same chart and ten prompts.

Why pilots like it

Reading a sectional fluently is a core VFR skill, and the legend is dense. Spotting a magenta vignette (Class E starting at 700 ft AGL) or telling a VOR-DME from a VORTAC at a glance is quick to learn when it is a game. It is a handy way to learn VFR sectional symbols before a checkride or a cross-country. Symbols follow the FAA Aeronautical Chart User's Guide in simplified form. Charts are fictional and never for navigation. For real-world flying awareness, pair your charts with ADS-B traffic and weather from a Stratux receiver.

Symbol legend

An aeronautical chart legend game needs a cheat sheet, so here it is.

• Towered airport. Blue. A runway bar inside the circle means a hard surface. The tower frequency follows CT.
• Non-towered airport, hard-surfaced runway. Magenta circle with a runway bar inside.
• Other than hard-surfaced. Plain magenta circle.
• Private-use airport. Labelled PVT.
• Seaplane base. Anchor in a circle.
• Heliport. H in a circle.
• Data block. Name, then elevation (ft MSL), L for lighting, longest runway in hundreds of feet, and the CTAF/UNICOM frequency. A star after CT means a part-time tower; *L means lighting limitations. Small tick marks around the circle mean fuel is available and the field is attended during normal hours.
• VOR. Blue hexagon with a compass rose.
• VOR-DME. Hexagon inside a square.
• VORTAC. Hexagon with three tabs.
• NDB. Magenta dotted circle.
• Class B. Solid blue rings with floors and ceilings.
• Class C. Solid magenta rings.
• Class D. Dashed blue. Ceiling in a dashed box, in hundreds of feet MSL.
• Class E to the surface. Dashed magenta.
• Class E from 700 ft AGL. Magenta vignette (fuzzy band).
• MOA. Magenta hatched edge.
• Restricted or Prohibited area. Blue hatched edge, labelled R- or P-.
• Obstruction. Top MSL, with AGL in brackets.
• 1,000 ft AGL or higher. Bolder symbol and label.
• Lighted obstruction. Starburst rays.
• Group obstruction. Several symbols together.
• Victor airway. Blue line labelled V and a number, joining VORs.
• MEF. Big digits are thousands, small are hundreds of feet.
• Terrain tint bands. Greens low, browns high.

FAQ

Is Sectional Spy an accurate FAA chart?

No. Every chart is randomly generated and fictional. The symbols follow the FAA Aeronautical Chart User's Guide but are simplified, so never use it for navigation.

What is the difference between blue and magenta airports?

Airports with an operating control tower are drawn in blue. Non-towered airports are magenta.

How do I read the MEF on a sectional?

The Maximum Elevation Figure is printed in each quadrangle. Large digits are thousands of feet and the small raised digit is hundreds. It is based on the highest known terrain or obstruction plus a safety margin.

Is the daily challenge the same for everyone?

Yes. Each local day has one seeded chart and ten prompts, with unlimited attempts and a daily top 10.

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