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3 Answers

IFR Departures

Asked by: 3218 views Airspace, FAA Regulations

Some airports have both SID and ODP. Why have both at the same airport?

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3 Answers



  1. Wes Beard on Apr 16, 2013

    SIDs are an ATC clearance. It is easier, and wastes less time on the radio, to issue a SID then to issue the same long route to every airplane. SIDs and STARs are designed to reduce ATC workload and provide for standard routing.

    ODPs are for terrain and do not need an ATC clearance to fly. If you cannot make the climb gradients posted on the SID you can always fly the ODP.

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  2. John D. Collins on Apr 17, 2013

    Adding to Wes’s comments, a SID requires a clearance to fly and the procedure is intended for ATC purposes such as routing around or over other airspace, or establishing standardized routing that does not conflict with arrivals, etc. If a SID is flown, an ODP is not necessary nor should the ODP be flown. An ODP only deals with terrain clearance issues and provides “a way, but not the only way” that a pilot may safely climb to the enroute segment. Both an ODP and a SID will provide for the standard 200 feet/NM climb gradient or indicate otherwise on the chart or in the text. Some possible reasons that both may be provided at an airport, the SID is intended for turbojet only, ATC departures in direction requires a specific routing, but not in the other direction, certain equipment requirements prevent the SID from being used by all aircraft (DME or GPS required), …

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  3. Dan Chitty on Apr 17, 2013

    Thank you John and Wes for the feedback.

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