On 2 Apr 2004 05:53:20 -0800, (Ace
Pilot) wrote:

A friend recently asked me to explain the magenta circles seen around
numerous airports on sectionals. It got me to thinking about how
useful they are. Personally, if the weather isn't good enough to fly
VFR in Class E airspace, I'm not going to fly VFR, even if it is legal
in Class G airspace. So, for me, it is pointless knowing where the
boundary is between Class E and Class G airspace.

But I was curious to know if there are pilots that take full advantage
of this distinction. Does anyone actually make use of the Class E/G
boundaries depicted on sectionals? If so, how? I suspect the most
common use is doing T&Gs in the pattern below 700 feet AGL when the
weather is marginal. Other uses?


The magenta line doesn't indicate a boundary between E and G space.
The magenta indicates Class E with a floor of 700 feet. The outside
of this magenta area is Class E with a floor of 1200 feet. A blue
line indicates the border between Class E with a floor of 1200 feet
and Class G. No pure Class G where I am. I can only find that under
the other classes. Note: I am not a CFI and could easily be wrong
about this.
Rich Russell