Definition
On FAA aeronautical charts, a blue airport symbol indicates an airport that has a hard-surfaced runway between 1,500 and 8,069 feet in length and is open to the public. Blue is the standard color used to depict civil airports with paved runways meeting these length criteria.
Plain English
When you see an airport drawn in blue on a chart, it means the airport is open to the public and has a paved runway of moderate length. The color is a quick visual code so you can identify the type of airport at a glance.
Context Anchor
Seen on FAA instrument charts when reading airport information, including airports shown as closed indefinitely.
Why Pilots Care
Recognizing the symbol prevents attempts to land at closed or unsafe airports and supports safe flight planning.
Intuition Check
Do not assume a blue symbol means the airport is open or safe to use. In this chart context, blue identifies the kind of airport information shown; closure markings or notes still matter.
Example Sentence 1
While planning the cross-country, she scanned the sectional for blue symbols along her route to identify suitable paved fields.
Example Sentence 2
Never plan a flight to an airport shown with a blue symbol.