What color indicates the location of a runway on a sectional chart?

On a sectional chart, the color magenta is used to indicate the location of runways. This is significant because sectional charts serve as essential navigational tools for pilots, providing essential information about and surrounding airports. The use of magenta helps distinguish runways from other features of the chart, such as terrain and airspace boundaries, which enhances situational awareness for pilots during flight planning and navigation.

While other colors on sectional charts serve specific purposes—blue often indicates controlled airspace and red is typically used for airspace boundaries or special use airspace—magenta is uniquely reserved for runways, ensuring pilots can easily identify their locations. This clear color-coding is crucial for both safety and effective navigation.