This FAA Part 107 exam tutorial will go over 10 practice questions on sectional charts. Sectional charts are part of the the national airspace system topic and often appear on the test.

These questions are similar to those in the study guide I used to successfully pass the FAA Part 107 exam with a 90% score. This study guide comes along with 5 free online practice tests and the Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement.

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FAA Part 107 Exam Sectional Charts Practice Question

The questions below uses the Airman Knowledge Testing supplement. You can download it for free or purchase a hard copy from Amazon.

Sectional Charts Question #1

(Refer to Figure 25, Area 4.) The floor of Class B airspace overlying Hicks Airport (T67) north-northwest of Fort Worth Meacham Field is

A. at the surface

B. 3,200 feet MSL

C. 4,000 feel MSL

First, locate the airport in area 4. The, identify the boundaries of the class B airspace that overlies Hicks Airport. Class B airspace is denoted by solid blue lines. In case you forget this fact, you can look up this info at the legend to the Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement.

Sectional charts denote floors/ceilings of airspace classes in hundreds of feet above the mean sea level (MSL). The bottom number is the floor, while the top number is the ceiling. Sometimes, the floor number has letters “SFC”. This means that the floor starts at the surface.

On the chart above, this class B airspace has a floor of 4,000 ft. MSL and a ceiling of 11,000 ft. MSL. Thus, this makes choice C the answer.

Sectional Charts Question #2

(Refer to Figure 26, Area 5.) The airspace overlying and within 5 miles of Barnes County Airport is:

A. Class D airspace from the surface to the floor of the overlying Class E airspace.

B. Class E airspace from the surface to 1,200 feet MSL.

C. Class G airspace from the surface up to but not including 700 feet AGL.

The Barnes County Airport lies in the class E airspace. We know this because the class E airspace around this airport has a shaded magenta line.

This class E airspace starts at 700 ft. above ground level (AGL) and extends up to but not including 18,000 ft. MSL. The 700 ft. AGL floor comes from the legend to the supplement.

The key to answer this question is the word “overlying”. It means an airspace other than the one where the airport is located. Unless noted otherwise, the class G airspace is present almost everywhere. The class G airspace is also an uncontrolled airspace. This means that the air traffic control (ATC )has no responsibility over it. As a rule, the Class G airspace starts at the surface and extends to the base of the overlying controlled airspace. Typically, this controlled airspace is the class E airspace with a floor at either 700 or 1,200 ft. AGL. In our case, it is the class E airspace with a floor at 700 ft. AGL. This makes choice C the answer.

Choice B is wrong. If you look at the sectional charts legend, you will see that the magenta shaded line means class E airspace. It starts at 700 ft. AGL and goes to but not including 18,000 ft. MSL. Choice B tells you that the airspace is class E up to 1,200 ft. AGL, which is not correct. It should be from 700 feet AGL and up. Choice A is incorrect too since class D airspace (denoted by blue dashed line) is not even there.

Think of the word “overlying” as an intersecting airspace and other than the airspace of the airport.

Sectional Charts Question #3

(Refer to Figure 74, Area 6.) What airspace is Hayward Executive in? 

A.   Class B.

B.   Class C. 

C.   Class D.

Looking at the airport location, we can count four controlled airspace classes that surround Hayward Executive airport, namely class B, C, D and E. However, we must focus on the airspace where the airport is located on the surface.

1. Class E Airspace

First is Class E airspace. It is depicted by a dashed magenta line and it starts at the surface as indicated by letters “sfc”. There is also a notice that says that this class E has effective hours. We can immediately rule out class E airspace since it is not a choice.

Moreover, class E (sfc) airspace surrounds airports with an instrument approach but no control tower. Hayward Executive airport has notation in the color blue. This means that this airport has an active control tower. But, airports with no active control towers have magenta notations. So, this is another explanation why class E airspace cannot be the answer.

2. Class B Airspace

Next is class B airspace denoted by a solid blue line on the sectional chart. This class B airspace overlying Hayward Executive airport has a floor of 3,000 ft. MSL and a ceiling at 10,000 ft. MSL. This information rules out choice A since Class B airspace is above this airport.

3. Class C Airspace

The next airspace is class C denoted by a dashed magenta line. The ceiling and floor of this class C airspace has the notation of T/15. This class C airspace starts at 1,500 ft. MSL. It also extends all the way to the bottom of the overlying class B airspace (denoted by letter T). This again rules out choice B.

4. Class D Airspace

And there is the class D airspace, whose floor and ceiling show up in a dashed rectangle with -15 inside. The supplement’s legend shows that this class D airspace starts at the surface and extends to, but not including, 1,500 ft. MSL. This makes choice C the answer.

Sectional Charts Question #4

(Refer to Figure 26, Area 3.) What type of flight are being conducted as indicated by IR678?

A.   IFR military training route above 1,500 feet AGL.

B.   VFR military training route above 1,500 feet AGL. 

C.   VFR military training route below 1,500 feet AGL.

We do not have to even look at the sectional charts to answer this question. Anytime you see the letters IR or VR with numbers, they mean military training routes (MTRs). IR denotes a military training route conducted according to instrument flight rules (IFR). The instrument means various electronic equipment that allow flying without a visual reference. VR denote a military training route conducted according to visual flight rules (VFR).

Three numbers in the name of IR or VR route mean that military operations conducted at altitude above 1,500 ft. AGL. Furthermore, four numbers denote operations conducted at or below 1,500 ft. AGL.

The answer is A because we have IR678. This is so because it is the only answer that references an IFR military training route with above 1,500 ft. AGL.

Sectional Charts Question #5

(Refer to Figure 26, Area 4.) You have been hired to inspect the tower under construction at 46.9N and 98.6W, near Jamestown Regional (JMS). What must you receive prior to flying your unmanned aircraft in this area?

A.   Authorization from the military.

B.   Authorization from ATC. 

C.   Authorization from the National Park Service.

The fifth question is about authorization you may need when flying your drone around the tower near the Jamestown Regional airport. You are also given the coordinates that help you locate the tower.

1. Understand the Geographic Coordinates Grid System

Geographic coordinates are shown in lines of latitude and longitude. Each line is measured in degrees, minutes and seconds. Each degree represents 60 minutes, while each minute represents 60 seconds.

The starting point for all latitude lines is the equator measured at 0°. Latitude lines extend to the either north or south from the equator. All longitude lines start their count from the prime meridian at 0°. The prime meridian passes through Greenwich, UK. Longitude lines extend to either west or east from the prime meridian.

2. Identify the Tower

In our case, we have a latitude of 46.9N. Since degrees consists of 60 minutes, this provides the latitude of 46°54’00” north (0.9 * 60″ = 54″). Likewise, we have the longitude of 98°36’00” west. Moreover, the sectional charts show coordinates in rectangle grids. Each mark on these grids represents one minute. Also remember that latitude increases going northward, while longitude increases going westward. This is so because the sectional charts depict the North America.

To find the tower, identify the closest degrees first. We can see 47 degree north latitude. Count 6 minutes to the south and you have the 46.9N latitude coordinate. Next, find the closest longitude, which is 98 degrees west. Then, count 36 minutes to get to 98.6W longitude.

The tower we are dealing with is to the southeast from the Jamestown Regional airport (JMS). Sectional charts denote towers’ heights by two numbers. The top number is in ft. MSL and the bottom number in parentheses is in ft. AGL. In our case, we have a tower with a height of 1,727 ft. MSL with no AGL height provided. This is so because the tower is under construction (UC).

3. Identify Airspace

The tower is located in the class E airspace as denoted by the magenta shaded line. Looking up the supplement’s legend, we see that this class E airspace starts at 700 ft. AGL. Moreover, there is another class E airspace denoted by a dashed magenta line. This class E airspace starts at the surface. Typical class E airspace extends up to but not including 18,000 ft. MSL.

To inspect this tower, the pilot will be flying in the controlled airspace with the floor at the surface. This means you need authorization from the air traffic control (ATC). Thus, the answer is choice B.

Sectional Charts Question #6

(Refer to Figure 71, Area 1.) The floor of the Class E airspace above Georgetown Airport (E36) is at:

A.   the surface.

B.   700 feet AGL.

C.   3,823 feet MSL.

On the chart, we can see that there is no identifiable airspace surrounding this airport. This means that there is a class G uncontrolled airspace around Georgetown Airport. This airspace starts at the surface and extends to but not including 1,200 ft. AGL. After that, the class E airspace begins at 1,200 ft. AGL.

If we look at the answers, we do not see the choice of 1,200 ft. AGL. But, we know that this airport is located at an altitude of 2,623 ft. MSL by looking at the airport data. If we add 1,200 to 2,623, we will get 3,823 ft. MSL for the class E airspace. This makes choice C the answer.

Sectional Charts Question #7

(Refer to Figure 24, Area 6.) What type of airport is Card Airport?

A.   Public towered.

B.   Public non-towered.

C.   Private non-towered.

Looking at the chart, we see that the airport data is written in magenta. If airports’ notation use magenta color, they are non-towered airports. Airports marked in blue mean that they have the control tower. This makes Card Airport non-towered. Also, there is an R in a circle. The supplement’s legend indicates that Card Airport is a private non-public one. Hence, the answer is C.

Sectional Charts Question #8

(Refer to Figure 21.) What airport is located approximately 47 (degrees) 40 (minutes) N latitude and 101 (degrees) 26 (minutes) W longitude?

A.  Mercer County Regional Airport.

B.  Semshenko Airport.

C.  Garrison Airport.

First, identify the latitude. We can see that there is a 48 degree north latitude line. Because latitude’s coordinates increase northward, subtract 20 minutes in southward direction. By doing so, you will arrive to 47 degrees and 40 minutes.

Next, identify the longitude line, which is 101 degrees west. Because longitude increases in westward direction, add 26 minutes to the west. You will arrive to 101 degrees and 26 minutes. The airport located at these coordinates is Garrison Airport. This makes C the answer.

Sectional Charts Question #9

(Refer to Figure 23, Area 3.) What is the height of the lighted obstacle approximately 6 nautical mile southwest of Savannah International?

A.   1,500 feet MSL.

B.   1,531 feet AGL.

C.   1,548 feet MSL.

Locate the airport on the map first (red rectangle). Next, there will always be have the scale for nautical/statue miles above the chart in the supplement. We find this lighted structure (black oval) by going about 6 miles southwest from the airport.

As for the height, the top number indicates elevation of the top of the tower in feet above mean sea level. In our case, it is 1,548 ft. MSL. Furthermore, the number in the parentheses indicates the height of 1,534 ft. AGL. Looking at the choices, the only matching answer is C, which is 1,548 feet MSL.

Sectional Charts Question #10

(Refer to Figure 22, Area 1.) You have been con­tracted to photograph Lake Pend Oreille from a vantage point just east of Cocolalla. You notice there is a hill which should provide a good place to take panoramic photographs. What is the maximum altitude (MSL) you are authorized to fly over the hill?

A.   You cannot operate your sUAS above 400 MSL, and thus cannot operate anywhere in this part of the country.

B.   You may operate up to 5,360 feet MSL in Class G airspace. 

C.   You cannot operate your sUAS without ATC permission because you will be in Class E airspace above 1,200 MSL.

You do not need permits to fly drones up to 400 feet AGL in uncontrolled airspace. Looking at the sectional chart, we see a hill east of Cocolalla with a marked altitude of 4,960 feet MSL. Note, that altitude markings for terrain are always in feet above mean sea level.

We can see that this hill is in the class G uncontrolled airspace from the surface up to 1,200 feet AGL. Next, add the allowed 400 ft. AGL to the altitude of 4,960 ft. MSL for the hill. Doing so we arrive at the maximum altitude of 5,360 ft. MSL in class G airspace that you can fly. This makes B the answer to this question.

Concluding Remarks

This is it for this tutorial. We made many more YouTube tutorials to help you prepare for the FAA part 107 exam. If you have questions about this material, let us know in the comments section.