Which statement about Class E base altitudes is true?

Which statement about Class E base altitudes is true?

• A. Inside magenta vignette base is 700 ft AGL; Outside magenta vignette base is 1200 ft AGL
• B. The base altitude is fixed at 1000 ft AGL everywhere
• C. The base altitude cannot be determined from the vignette
• D. Class E base altitude is 0 ft in all areas

Answer: (A)

Class E base altitudes shown on sectional charts vary with shading. Inside magenta shading (the magenta vignette), the floor of Class E is 700 feet AGL, while outside that shading the floor is 1200 feet AGL. This distinction helps pilots know when controlled airspace begins as you climb from the surface, and it creates a smoother IFR transition near many airports. Because of that shading, you can determine the base altitude from the vignette: inside equals 700 ft AGL, outside equals 1200 ft AGL. The other statements don’t fit chart conventions: the base isn’t fixed at 1000 ft everywhere; you can determine the base from the vignette; and Class E starting at the surface occurs only in specific areas shown by other indicators, not simply by the magenta vignette.

Class E base altitudes shown on sectional charts vary with shading. Inside magenta shading (the magenta vignette), the floor of Class E is 700 feet AGL, while outside that shading the floor is 1200 feet AGL. This distinction helps pilots know when controlled airspace begins as you climb from the surface, and it creates a smoother IFR transition near many airports. Because of that shading, you can determine the base altitude from the vignette: inside equals 700 ft AGL, outside equals 1200 ft AGL. The other statements don’t fit chart conventions: the base isn’t fixed at 1000 ft everywhere; you can determine the base from the vignette; and Class E starting at the surface occurs only in specific areas shown by other indicators, not simply by the magenta vignette.