Reader Feedback: November 2016

In the June issue, a reader had a question regarding the TERPZ FIVE departure at BWI. Your response in a lost com scenario was that you should climb to TERPZ at 11,000 then climb to your filed altitude after 10 minutes. I disagree. In the regs, 91.185 offers clear altitude guidance in a lost com situation. It is simply the highest of 3 altitudes-the altitude in your clearance, the altitude you were told to expect, and the highest IFR altitude. No mention is made about waiting for 10 minutes nor about a filed altitude.

Key Takeaways:

• The article corrects a previous typo, clarifying the difference between "minibars" (hotel amenities) and "millibars" (atmospheric pressure) in an aviation context.
• It clarifies that for certain instrument approaches requiring radar, pilots without DME or GPS must rely on ATC to identify fixes like the Final Approach Fix (FAF).
• The article provides guidance on interpreting FAR 91.185 regarding "expected" altitudes in lost communication scenarios, emphasizing that conditional expectations (e.g., "after 10 minutes") are not immediately applicable.
• It debunks the idea of using cell phones as a reliable airborne navigation backup, explaining that cellular signals are designed for ground coverage and are not consistently available or intended for aircraft use.

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