On a sectional chart, a shaded blue tint that fades from an airport outward typically indicates:
AClass E airspace beginning at 1,200 feet AGL (the most common Class E floor outside airport areas)✓ Correct answer
BA prohibited area
CTemporary flight restriction coverage
Why →A blue shaded (faded) area on a sectional typically indicates Class E airspace that begins at 1,200 feet AGL. This is the default Class E floor over most of the continental United States. Part 107 operations up to 400 feet AGL remain in Class G and do not require authorization for this airspace type.
The trap →The prohibited area and TFR answers are unrelated chart symbols. Prohibited areas use hatched borders with P-numbers (e.g., P-56). TFRs are not depicted on the sectional itself; they come from NOTAMs.
Field note →The color language of sectionals is consistent: shaded/faded = higher floor, less restrictive. Dashed = surface, more restrictive.