Last month, we gave you a survey course on what happens behind the scenes of approach procedures (“TERPS 101”). That’s a prerequisite for this course, since we’re going to build on what was covered in that article to examine the nuts and bolts of other types of procedures. In case you didn’t complete the prerequisite, let’s quickly go over what you need to know.
TERPS 201
Last month, we gave you a survey course on what happens behind the scenes of approach procedures (TERPS 101). Thats a prerequisite for this course, since were going to build on what was covered in that article to examine the nuts and bolts of other types of procedures. In case you didnt complete the prerequisite, lets quickly go over what you need to know.
Key Takeaways:
- TERPS (Terminal Instrument Procedures) establishes safety standards for instrument flight procedures by defining Obstacle Evaluation Areas (OEAs), Required Obstacle Clearance (ROC), and Obstacle Clearance Surfaces (OCSs) that must remain free of obstacles.
- Different instrument segments, such as en-route, STARs, and feeder segments, have specific OEA construction rules (varying for conventional vs. RNAV navigation) and obstacle clearance requirements, including provisions for Minimum Crossing Altitudes (MCAs).
- Departure procedures include diverse departures (with initial climb requirements and climb gradients, mitigated by published climb gradients or visual avoidance), regulatory ODPs (Obstacle Departure Procedures), and Visual Climb Over Airport (VCOA) procedures, each with distinct obstacle clearance criteria.
- The application of TERPS criteria is not always uniform across all procedures due to the use of waivers, special procedures for specific operators, and the principle that "old criteria aren't bad criteria," meaning procedures compliant when last updated remain valid even if not brought to current standards.
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