While en route charts provide the information necessary to safely transit broad regions of airspace, the United States Terminal Procedures Publication (TPP) enables pilots to safely and efficiently operate in the terminal environment, where traffic density and workload are highest. Whether departing or arriving, these standardized procedures help ensure obstacle clearance, traffic separation, and predictable aircraft flow, making the jobs of both pilots and air traffic controllers safer and more efficient.
Published by AeroNav Products and available in regional booklets, the TPP contains instrument approach procedures, Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs), Departure Procedures (DPs), and airport diagrams. Together, these publications form the primary reference for instrument flight operations in the vicinity of airports.
Departure Procedures
There are two types of Departure Procedures (DPs): Obstacle Departure Procedures (ODPs) and Standard Instrument Departures (SIDs). [Figure 1 and 2] Both types are designed to provide obstacle clearance protection in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) while also reducing pilot-controller communications and minimizing departure delays.
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| Figure 1. ODP |
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| Figure 2. SID |
DPs may be published in textual and/or graphic form. Regardless of format, all DPs establish a safe method for transitioning from the departure airport to the en route airspace structure. Pilots are strongly encouraged to file and fly a DP, particularly at night and during marginal VMC or IMC, when visual obstacle avoidance may be limited.
All DPs assume that the aircraft:
- Crosses the departure end of the runway at 35 feet AGL,
- Climbs to 400 feet above airport elevation before initiating a turn, and
- Maintains a minimum climb gradient of 200 feet per nautical mile (FPNM), unless a higher gradient is specified.
If ATC vectors an aircraft off a previously assigned DP, the pilot is still responsible for maintaining the published or minimum required climb gradient until reaching the assigned altitude.
Textual ODPs are listed by city and airport in the IFR Takeoff Minimums and Departure Procedures section of the TPP. SIDs are depicted graphically and appear in the TPP following the approach procedures for the associated airport.
Standard Terminal Arrival Routes
Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs) depict prescribed routes used to transition an instrument aircraft from the en route structure to a fix within the terminal area, from which an instrument approach can be initiated. STARs help manage high traffic volumes by standardizing arrival paths, altitudes, and speeds, reducing pilot workload and radio congestion.
If a pilot does not have the appropriate STAR available, “No STAR” should be noted in the flight plan. In high-workload situations, ATC may still clear the aircraft along a STAR and, if necessary, require the pilot to copy the full procedure by voice.
STARs are listed alphabetically at the beginning of each AeroNav Products booklet. Figure 3 and 4 illustrates a typical STAR, along with the legend used for STARs and DPs in the TPP.
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| Figure 3. DP chart legend |
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| Figure 4. STAR |