RNAV SIDS and STARs

The RNAV SIDs and STARs have been around for a few years with more popping up every day. In fact, theyve become such an integral part of the ATC system that you hardly see any new SIDs or STARs that arent RNAV. Although weve published a few articles that cover certain aspects of these procedures, we still get a lot of questions about them. Its time for a thorough analysis of these procedures.

Key Takeaways:

• RNAV SIDs and STARs are modern instrument procedures utilizing GPS for navigation and incorporating specific altitude and speed restrictions, largely replacing older ground-based navaid procedures.
• Their primary purpose is to enhance airspace capacity, reduce ATC workload, and decrease radio congestion by enabling pilots to "climb/descend via" published procedures with minimal direct instructions.
• While designed for efficiency, controllers may still issue vectors, speed, and altitude adjustments for spacing, which can sometimes lead to complex phraseology and pilot confusion.
• Pilots must thoroughly brief RNAV procedures, carefully observing all published restrictions—including general notes and those not tied to specific fixes—as the workload for procedure compliance largely shifts to them.

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