IFR Departure Procedures
AIM 5-2-9 – Departure Procedures
Ensures obstacle clearance, provided the airplane –
- crosses the departure end of the runway at least 35’ AGL
- reaches 400’ AGL before turning
- climbs at least 200’ per NM (FPNM) or as published otherwise on the chart
- Pilots are encouraged to file a DP at night, during marginal VMC or IMC
Departure Plate
Takeoff Minimums
FAR 91.175(f) – Clvil airport takeoff minimums
No takeoff minimums mandated for Part 91 operations
Required Equipment
RADAR Departure Procedure
- ATC radar vectors to an ATS route, NAVAID, or fix are used after departure
- Annotated “RADAR REQUIRED”
RNAV Departure Procedure
- For aircraft equipped with RNAV equipment GPS, VOR/DME, DME/DME
- Require at least RNAV 1 performance
- Annotated “RNAV”
Non-RNAV Departure Procedure
- For use by aircraft equipped with ground-based navigation VOR, DME, NDB
Departure Briefing
DEPARTS
Departure Review
takeoff type, initial heading, first fix & course, clearance
Establish Expectations
flying pilot, PIC, positive transfer of controls
Plan & Considerations
weather, visibility, terrain, airfield, equipment
Alternate
FAR 91.169
Runway Conditions & Length
Trouble
rejected takeoff, engine failure
Speak up
Departure Types
Standard Instrument Departure (SID)
- Reduces pilot and controller workload by simplifying ATC clearances and radio communications
- Transition routes connect the end of the basic SID procedure to the enroute structure
- Must be cleared by ATC, pilots are not required to accept if assigned
- Pilots may request “NO SIDs” in the flight plan’s remarks section
- Always printed graphically
- May depict special radio failure procedures
Obstacle Departure Procedure (ODP)
- Provides only obstacle clearance
- Printed either textually or graphically
- No ATC clearance needed, pilots must ask to fly an ODP
- Used if obstacle exists on a 40:1 departure flight path
- Graphic ODPs are titled ‘OBSTACLE’
Visual Departure
Visual Climb Over Airport (VCOA)
- A departure option for IFR aircraft in VMC
- The pilot visually conducts climbing turns over the airport up to the published “climb to” altitude, from which he proceeds to the instrument portion of the departure
- Designed to avoid obstacles beyond 3 SM from the departure end of the runway (DER), as an alternative to complying with climb gradients greater than the standard 200 ft/NM
- Advise ATC as early as possible prior to departure of the intent to fly a VCOA
- Published in the “Take-Of Minimums and (Obstacle) Departure Procedures” section of the TPP
- May appear as an option on graphic ODPs
Diverse Vector Area (DVA)
- Diverse Airport Departures provide obstacle clearance when a DP is not published
- Initial radar vectors and climb gradients may be provided by ATC
- All US airports with a published IAP but with no published DP meet the Diverse Airport criteria
- This criteria requires that an airport has been evaluated for no obstacles within 200’ altitude/NM up to a minimum IFR altitude
- Minimum Climb Gradient