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5 Answers

DME ARC

Asked by: 2635 views Instrument Rating

While on a DME arc, are we allowed to climb or descent while intercepting the exit radial from the lead radial. ? 

The DME arc I want to do is at 4500 and right at the exit radial there is a ridge of 4800ft. I cannot do the arc over 4500 due to CLASS B airspace above me. 

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5 Answers



  1. John D Collins on Jun 01, 2019

    Kanika, can you provide an airport and approach reference. DME arcs normally start along an airway and connect to a final approach course and any minimum altitude along the arc, usually an intermediate segment, will have a required obstacle clearance of 1000 feet. The airway leading to the IAF of the arc will have an MEA and these are expected to be flown along the airway, then a right or left turn of 90 degrees, followed by the arc and a lead radial to join the ILS or approach final segment.

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  2. Mark Kolber on Jun 02, 2019

    I agree with John. We need to see this one. I’m surprised to hear of a DME arc with a minimum altitude for the arc followed by a *higher* altitude for a later segment of the approach. (WAG: the 4800′ segment is not part of the approach when doing the DME arc.)

    BTW, Class B would be irrelevant on an instrument flight plan unless ATC specifically instructed a lower “maintain” altitude.

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  3. KANIKA ATWAL on Jun 02, 2019

    It is an unpublished DME arc.

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  4. John D Collins on Jun 02, 2019

    What is an unpublished DME arc? On who’s authority or under what instruction from ATC was it issued. I don’t believe it is a valid and is not described in TERPS.

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  5. Mark Kolber on Jun 06, 2019

    John, I have a guess – there aren’t any published ones near him and someone made it up for training purposes. Probably incorrectly.

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