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AIM
4/3/14
5−2−8
Departure Procedures
included in the ATC clearance. ATC requires a climb gradi-
ent of 310 FPNM to 4000, however, this ATC climb
gradient may be amended or canceled.
6.
Climb gradients may be specified only to an
altitude/fix, above which the normal gradient applies.
EXAMPLE
−
“Minimum climb 340 FPNM to ALPHA.” The pilot climbs
at least 340 FPNM to ALPHA, then at least 200 FPNM to
MIA.
7.
Some DPs established solely for obstacle
avoidance require a climb in visual conditions to
cross the airport or an on−airport NAVAID in a speci-
fied direction, at or above a specified altitude. These
procedures are called Visual Climb Over the Airport
(VCOA).
EXAMPLE
−
“Climb in visual conditions so as to cross the McElory Air-
port southbound, at or above 6000, then climb via
Keemmling radial zero three three to Keemmling VOR-
TAC.”
c.
Who is responsible for obstacle clearance? DPs
are designed so that adherence to the procedure by the
pilot will ensure obstacle protection. Additionally:
1.
Obstacle clearance responsibility also rests
with the pilot when he/she chooses to climb in visual
conditions in lieu of flying a DP and/or depart under
increased takeoff minima rather than fly the climb
gradient. Standard takeoff minima are one statute
mile for aircraft having two engines or less and one−
half statute mile for aircraft having more than two
engines. Specified ceiling and visibility minima
(VCOA or increased takeoff minima) will allow visu-
al avoidance of obstacles until the pilot enters the
standard obstacle protection area. Obstacle avoid-
ance is not guaranteed if the pilot maneuvers farther
from the airport than the specified visibility minimum
prior to reaching the specified altitude. DPs may also
contain what are called Low Close in Obstacles.
These obstacles are less than 200 feet above the de-
parture end of runway elevation and within one NM
of the runway end, and do not require increased take-
off minimums. These obstacles are identified on the
SID chart or in the Take−off Minimums and (Ob-
stacle) Departure Procedures section of the U. S.
Terminal Procedure booklet. These obstacles are es-
pecially critical to aircraft that do not lift off until
close to the departure end of the runway or which
climb at the minimum rate. Pilots should also consid-
er drift following lift−off to ensure sufficient
clearance from these obstacles. That segment of the
procedure that requires the pilot to see and avoid ob-
stacles ends when the aircraft crosses the specified
point at the required altitude. In all cases continued
obstacle clearance is based on having climbed a mini-
mum of 200 feet per nautical mile to the specified
point and then continuing to climb at least 200 foot
per nautical mile during the departure until reaching
the minimum enroute altitude, unless specified other-
wise.
2.
ATC may assume responsibility for obstacle
clearance by vectoring the aircraft prior to reaching
the minimum vectoring altitude by using a Diverse
Vector Area (DVA). The DVA has been assessed for
departures which do not follow a specific ground
track. ATC may also vector an aircraft off a previous-
ly assigned DP. In all cases, the 200 FPNM climb
gradient is assumed and obstacle clearance is not pro-
vided by ATC until the controller begins to provide
navigational guidance in the form of radar vectors.
NOTE
−
When used by the controller during departure, the term
“radar contact” should not be interpreted as relieving pi-
lots of their responsibility to maintain appropriate terrain
and obstruction clearance which may include flying the ob-
stacle DP.
3.
Pilots must preplan to determine if the aircraft
can meet the climb gradient (expressed in feet per
nautical mile) required by the departure procedure,
and be aware that flying at a higher than anticipated
ground speed increases the climb rate requirement in
feet per minute. Higher than standard climb gradients
are specified by a note on the departure procedure
chart for graphic DPs, or in the Take−Off Minimums
and (Obstacle) Departure Procedures section of the
U.S. Terminal Procedures booklet for textual ODPs.
The required climb gradient, or higher, must be main-
tained to the specified altitude or fix, then the
standard climb gradient of 200 ft/NM can be re-
sumed. A table for the conversion of climb gradient
(feet per nautical mile) to climb rate (feet per minute),
at a given ground speed, is included on the inside of
the back cover of the U.S. Terminal Procedures book-
lets.
d.
Where are DPs located? DPs will be listed by
airport in the IFR Takeoff Minimums and (Obstacle)
Departure Procedures Section, Section L, of the Ter-
minal Procedures Publications (TPPs). If the DP is
textual, it will be described in TPP Section L. SIDs
and complex ODPs will be published graphically and
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