New article
Recently updated
Map icons explained
Who is this article for?
Uses working with the map.
No special access or permissions are required.
At first glance, an aviation map may seem like a jumble of dots, colours, and shapes. However, each icon conveys specific information, making the map much easier to understand once you know what to look for.
This article breaks down the visual language of the map into three parts.
Types of aircraft
Different classes of aircraft are represented by different icons.
| Icon | Aircraft |
|---|---|
 | Commercial jet |
 | Helicopter |
 | Propeller Aircraft, General Aviation Jet, Turbo-Propeller Aircraft |
 | General Aviation Twin Jet, Business/Regional Jet |
 | Military Jet |
 | Cargo Plane, Airship, Unknown Type |
Aircraft colours
Each icon has a colour assigned to determine the type of operation. Icons will be coloured depending on operation (arrival/departure) type, and also the origin airport.
Noise icons
Different classes of noise event are illustrated with different icon shapes.
| Icon | Event Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| None | There is no community or aircraft event currently available for display. This could be because no noise event is occurring, windy conditions or maintenance activities are occuring, or it may indicate that you are viewing a period where the noise data has not yet been processed. | |
| Community Noise Event | A noise event where an aircraft operation has not been identified as the cause of the noise. | |
| Aircraft Noise Event | A noise event where an aircraft operation has been identified as the cause of the noise. |
Noise colours
As noise levels vary, the colour of the icon changes to provide a visual illustration of the relative noise level.