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Clearway and stopway. Where does DER start?

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Instrument Rating

Hello. The TERPS Departure Procedures requires that the pilot cross the departure end of the runway (DER) at least at 35 feet above it for proper obstacle clearance. If the runway has a clearway or stopway extending from the end of the runway, where does the DER start? Is it from the end of the "actual" runway or is it from the end of the clearway or stopway?

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2 Answers

  1. Best Answer


    John Scarry on Jun 28, 2017

    This is beyond my understanding of the TERPS, but you might want to read AC 150:5300-13A-chg1 Airport Design starting on page 98 where they talk about TORA, TODA, and say “When the full runway beyond the start of takeoff is available for the takeoff run, the departure end of the TORA is located at the end of the runway (see Fighre 3-28). ”

    My non-expert reading of the document says that it is at the end of the portion of the runway that can be used for takeoff. So that would include displaced thresholds but not include things like EMAS.

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  2. Wes Beard on Jul 13, 2017

    All aircraft are required to plan to cross the designated end of the runway by at least 35 ft. The DER is the physical end of the runway unless a clearway exists. A clearway will increase the declared TODA distance while the TORA distance remains the same. It is my understanding that the aircraft must cross at least 35′ high by 50% of the clearway. I would imagine the TODA would compensate for that but haven’t done the research.

    Read AIM 4-3-6 Declared Distances. There are some other great resources out there on the internet.

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