AIM
12/2/21
3.
The DVA may be established below the
Minimum Vectoring Altitude (MVA) or Minimum
IFR Altitude (MIA) in a radar environment at the
request of Air Traffic. This type of DP meets the
TERPS criteria for diverse departures, obstacles, and
terrain avoidance in which vectors below the
MVA/MIA may be issued to departing aircraft. The
DVA has been assessed for departures which do not
follow a specific ground track, but will remain within
the specified area. Use of a DVA is valid only when
aircraft are permitted to climb uninterrupted from the
departure runway to the MVA/MIA (or higher). ATC
will not assign an altitude below the MVA/MIA
within a DVA. At locations that have a DVA, ATC is
not permitted to utilize a SID and DVA concurrently.
(a)
The existence of a DVA will be noted in
the Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure
Procedure section of the U.S. Terminal Procedures
Publication (TPP). The Takeoff Departure procedure
will be listed first, followed by any applicable DVA.
EXAMPLE
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DIVERSE VECTOR AREA (RADAR VECTORS)
AMDT 1 14289 (FAA)
Rwy 6R
, headings as assigned by ATC; requires
minimum climb of 290’ per NM to 400.
Rwys 6L, 7L, 7R, 24R, 25R
, headings as
assigned by ATC.
(b)
Pilots should be aware that a published
climb gradient greater than the standard 200 FPNM
can exist within a DVA. Pilots should note that the
DVA has been assessed for departures which do not
follow a specific ground track.
(c)
ATC may also vector an aircraft off a
previously assigned DP. If the aircraft is airborne and
established on a SID or ODP and subsequently
vectored off, ATC is responsible for terrain and
obstruction clearance. In all cases, the minimum 200
FPNM climb gradient is assumed.
NOTE
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As is always the case, when used by the controller during
departure, the term “radar contact” should not be
interpreted as relieving pilots of their responsibility to
maintain appropriate terrain and obstruction clearance,
which may include flying the obstacle DP.
4.
Pilots must preplan to determine if the aircraft
can meet the climb gradient (expressed in feet per
nautical mile) required by the departure procedure or
DVA, 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
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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 maintained to the
specified altitude or fix, then the standard climb
gradient of 200 ft/NM can be resumed. 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 booklets.
g.
Where are DPs located? DPs and DVAs will be
listed by airport in the IFR Takeoff Minimums and
(Obstacle) Departure Procedures Section, Section L,
of the Terminal Procedures Publications (TPP). If the
DP is textual, it will be described in TPP Section L
.
SIDs and complex ODPs will be published
graphically and named. The name will be listed by
airport name and runway in Section L. Graphic ODPs
will also have the term “(OBSTACLE)” printed in the
charted procedure title, differentiating them from
SIDs.
1.
An ODP that has been developed solely for
obstacle avoidance will be indicated with the symbol
“T” on appropriate Instrument Approach Procedure
(IAP) charts and DP charts for that airport. The “T”
symbol will continue to refer users to TPP Section C.
In the case of a graphic ODP, the TPP Section C will
only contain the name of the ODP. Since there may be
both a textual and a graphic DP, Section C should still
be checked for additional information. The nonstan-
dard takeoff minimums and minimum climb
gradients found in TPP Section C also apply to
charted DPs and radar vector departures unless
different minimums are specified on the charted DP.
Takeoff minimums and departure procedures apply to
all runways unless otherwise specified. New graphic
DPs will have all the information printed on the
graphic depiction. As a general rule, ATC will only
assign an ODP from a non
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towered airport when
compliance with the ODP is necessary for aircraft to
aircraft separation. Pilots may use the ODP to help
ensure separation from terrain and obstacles.
h.
Responsibilities
1.
Each pilot, prior to departing an airport on an
IFR flight should:
5
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2
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10
Departure Procedures