Chapter 4

Departure Charts

Chapter 4 Departure Charts

§4.1 Introduction

§4.2 Arrangement and Information of Departure Charts

§4.3 Examples of Chart

§4.1 Introduction

The purpose of using departure charts are• Provide a transition between the airport and

the enroute structure after take off • Reduce frequency congestion, ensure

obstacle clearance• Control the flow of traffic around an airport• Reduce fuel consumption, and may include

noise abatement procedures

§4.2 Composition and Information of Departure Charts

• Heading

• Plan View

Heading

Plan View

§4.2.1 Heading

The heading of departure includes information about date, communications, transition level and transition altitude, departure procedures naming and numbering.

Pilots could find the proper airports and departure procedures by checking the heading of departure charts.

§4.2.1.1 Heading Border Data

The heading border data includes:

• Chart procedure identifier

• Location name

• ICAO Airport Identifier/ICAO Location Indicator

• Chart index number

• Revision dates

ICAO Airport Identifier/ICAOLocation Indicator

Location Name

Departure Frequency

Revision Date

Chart Procedure IdentifierChart Index

Number

Effective Date

Airport Elevation

Primary Airport Name

Chart Procedure Identifier

Chart procedure identifier helps pilots quickly identify the correct type of chart （ departure, arrival, approach, and so on ）

Some charts provide additional information about the type of departure. For example, displays “SID(R)” in the heading ,which tells the pilot that operative ATC radar is required for the departure.

Some charts use the designation “RNAV SID” to alert pilots that only aircraft with area navigation equipment can use this departure.

Location Name

For civilian airports, the geographic location is usually the same as the major city it serves. Charts for military airports list the installation name first, with the city displayed below it.

Primary Airport Name

At the Plainview of departure charts, the positions where the main airports locate are denoted by circular shadow.

If there is a “-” before the name of an airport, that means the location name should be a part of the main airport’s name

If one departure chart can be used at many airports, the secondary airports are listed under the main airport.

Another kind of departure chart is area departure chart. This kind of chars can serve many different airports and there is no primary and secondary.

Chart Index Number

The chart index number helps pilots to sequence and locate charts within Airway Manual.

Revision dates

If the effective date is not indicated, the chart will become effective at once.

effective datechart date

§4.2.1.2 Communications

Information about communications is displayed within a box in the heading on the left.

The departure frequency may display one or more of the following frequencies:

• Approach

• Center

• Clearance

• Control

• Radar

An asterisk (*) in front of the name of a frequency indicates that the service is not available at all times ;

An (R) that follows the frequency type means that radar is available for that service.

§4.2.1.3 Transition Level and Transition Altitude

The transition level and transition altitude are shown following the communication frame.

§4.2.1.4 Chart Naming and Numbering

Generally, departure procedures are named after the last fix on the SID, which transitions the pilot to the enroute structure.

Sometimes, a plan view displays more than one departure procedure. When several departures end at the same fix, they are distinguished numerically.

The code name in navigation database. It couldn't be used to fill flight plan, or communicate with ATC.

ATTOL 2A and ATTOL 2C all end at ATTOL

Typically in the United States, there are transition routes that guide pilots from the departure route to a fix in the enroute structure. In these cases, the SID is usually named after the last fix on the departure and beginning of the transition.

When a significant portion of a departure procedure is revised, such as an altitude, a route, or data concerning the navaid, the number of the departure changes.

For Example, the Maric Three Departure is the third version of the modifications made to this procedure.

A few departure charts, as those for Mexico, are simply named “Departures.” In front of it is the designations of applicable runways for the route charted. These charts represent preferred departure routes for the airport listed.

Finally, a few airports provide initial climb-out procedures when their departure procedures are particularly complicated or detailed. These procedures provide pilots with guidance for a route from a particular airport runway to a fix that begins a published departure procedure.

With the departure name, a number of other important data may be listed:

• High enroute designator

• Departure code

• Departure type

• Runway designations

• Departure direction

High Enroute Designator

A “(Hi)” designation displayed with the route name means that the departure procedure or transition route ends at a fix within the high altitude enroute structure.

Departure CodeFor charts that depict airports that have

computerized their route identification for flight planning/filing purposes, the computer code for a particular departure procedure displays in circinal brackets following the route name.

Departure Type

When listed, the type of departure follows the name of the route. Departure types could be PILOT NAV, RNAV, VECTOR, DME, or GPS.

Runway Designations

If a departure applies to specific runways, they are listed below the title. Otherwise, they are specified in the plan view of the chart.

Departure Direction

Many large airports have different routes designated for aircraft headed for specific airways or cardinal headings.

§4.2.1.5 Chart Restrictions

The chart title may include any number of restrictions, such as:

• Kind of airplane

• Speed

• Kind of equipment

• Noise abatement

Kind of Airplane

Some routes are designated specifically for jet, turboprop, or non-turbojet airplanes.

Speed

Restrictions on speed are often noted in a reverse-type box with several criteria for the pilot to follow.

Kind of EquipmentSince departures can be simplified with the use

of navigation systems, RNAV SIDs often specify the kind of equipment required to fly that departure.

Noise AbatementWhen special procedures exist for noise

abatement purposes, they are often referenced with a note below the title of the departure.

§4.2.2 Plan View

A pilot checks for certain instructions, such as headings, climb gradients, and altitudes, as well as speed, airspace, and noise abatement restrictions.

The direction of this symbol represents the north direction. It always point to the up side of a departure chart.

“NOT TO SCALE” means that the chart is not plotted to scale. But the geography positions and direction information are precise.

§4.2.2.1 Airports

The primary airport is displayed in the plan view by a shaded circular area. Within the Primary airport symbol is a depiction of the airport’s runways. The chart shows the runway orientation and relative runway lengths.

Sometimes, the departure chart for a particular airport includes other airports in the vicinity. The symbol used for the secondary airport depends on whether the airport is civilian or military.

军用卫星机场

民用卫星机场

Military airport

Civilian airport

§4.2.2.2 Navaid and FixesDeparture routes are defined by various navigation

facilities in the area. Typically, the departure chart shows all the navaids that define the route within the plan view section of the chart.

Along the route, there may be designated locations that provide a means for checking the progress of the flight. These fixes may be defined by their relative position to various navaid, as well as latitude and longitude positioning.

Departure charts use a variety of symbols to depict the different navigation facilities and fixes.

§4.2.2.3 Flight Tracks

Departure plan view includes graphic symbols that portray the various tracks and transitions served by the procedure.

• A bold-lined arrow indicates the SID track

• A bold dashed line represents transition tracks

If there are more than one transition procedures in a departure chart, the names of transition procedures should be denoted near the transition tracks. Meanwhile, corresponding textual explanation should be contained in the departure chart.

• A thin, real line with arrows represents VOR Radials or NDB bearing

• A thin, curved line represents a DME arc. The DME arc is not the real track. It can be used to indicate the change of heading and altitude, or the restriction line when turning. The unit “NM” is labeled on the DME arc.

• If there is a route identification code near the departure track, it means that the departure track is a part of this route.

• A series of small arrows represents radar vectoring .That means pilots could obtain radar vectoring .

• Some textual description about SID track and altitude information.

• When there are several departure procedures in a chart, the SID names are used near by the track to denote which departure procedure the track belongs to.

Information about flight track and altitude of the corresponding procedure can be found in the table at the bottom or the plan view of chart.

DME ArcRadar Vectoring

SID Track

Route identification code

VOR Radial

Transition Procedures Name

Transition Track

SID Name

SID textual description

§4.2.2.4 Departure Elements

Textual descriptions about route and altitude of departure often accompany the graphics on the plan view of a chart.

Initial climb

Routing

Take-off minimums

Take-off

You may find “Take off” information in text in the plan view, or in a table at the bottom of the chart, labeled by “TAKE-OFF”

In some cases, instructions about take-off is labeled with runway number of SID to which they apply or aircraft types.

Some SIDs are so complex that there must be a individual diagram to illustrate climb procedures (infrequent).

When using such kind of SID, pilots should follow the corresponding climb procedure. When the aircraft get to the last fix, pilots should fly following the SID procedures.

Climb

Unless specified otherwise, SIDs provide obstacle clearance protection as long as the aircraft:

• is 35 feet high as it crosses the departure end of the runway

• dose not turn until reaching 400 feet

• climbs at least 200 feet per NM

Some SIDs require increased or unusual aircraft performance characteristics to ensure obstacle or terrain clearance during the climb phase. In addition to the climb and altitude instructions, notes in the plan view specify a climb gradient in feet per nautical mile.

When take-off, GS 200KT, take off from 24L,. Using the climb gradient 205ˊ per NM to calculate the corresponding climb rate should be 833ft/min. Keep this rate and climb to 3100 feet.

Use the following formula to calculate climb rate

climb rate=(GS/60) ×climb gradient

Before climbing to the requiring altitude of the SID, pilots must obey this climb gradient strictly. Especially when meeting bad weather, such as turbulence 、 icing, it is very important to maintain this climb gradient.

Transition Route

A transition route sequences the flight from the SID to a fix within the enroute structure.

Not all charts include transitions. The design of the departure determines if a transition route is available and used on a particular SID. Transitions are more common in certain regions, particularly North America.

Transition routes are shown as bold, dashed lines, and are accompanied by labels when more than one is displayed on a chart, the transition route labels may include:

• Transition name• Identifier code (for computerized flight plan filing)• Altitude • DME

See the “AVENAL” transition route in the chart.

• Identifier code —GMN4.AVE

• segment distance from GORMAN VORTAC to COREZ—55NM,MEA 11000FT,MOCA 10000FT

• segment distance from COREZ to AVENAL VORTAC —25NM,MEA 4000FT

Transition routes end at a fix on an enroute airway. When the transition end point is within the high altitude enroute structure, it’s usually marked “High Altitude”.

§4.2.2.5 Altitudes

Departure charts show important altitude information, often crucial to the proper execution of the procedure. A SID chart may display altitude instructions for:

• MSAs

• Route segments

• Fixes

MSAs

The minimum safe altitude (MSA) is shown as a graphic on departure charts. MSA is provided when specified by the controlling authority.

MSA provides 1,000 feet of obstruction clearance within a specified distance (25 miles unless specified otherwise) from a navigation facility.

MSA is designed only for use in an emergency or during VFR flight, such as a visual approach at night.

Each MSA is applicable only to the departure on which it is displayed, and may not be used for any other procedure.

Consider LAX VOR as the center of a circle whose radial is 25NM. This circle is divided into three parts:

• 010°-120°, MSA 4400FT

• 120°-240°, MSA 7700FT

• 240°-010°, MSA 2700FT