Question: DP altitude vs MCA/MEA

[Doug Easton]

Here's a question for the group from a low time ifr pilot...

The HASSA4 DP out of Ontario, CA specifies a minimum climb gradient that
would take you over the POM vor at 4400ft and then out V197 to the PMD vor.
The MCA for the POM vor nw bound on V197 is 8300ft and the MEA for that
segment is 10000ft. So can I fly the DP with the given climb gradient or am
I going to have to climb in hold at the POM vor?

Thanks

[[email protected]]

Doug Easton wrote:

> Here's a question for the group from a low time ifr pilot...
>
> The HASSA4 DP out of Ontario, CA specifies a minimum climb gradient that
> would take you over the POM vor at 4400ft and then out V197 to the PMD vor.
> The MCA for the POM vor nw bound on V197 is 8300ft and the MEA for that
> segment is 10000ft. So can I fly the DP with the given climb gradient or am
> I going to have to climb in hold at the POM vor?
>
> Thanks

The climb gradient assumptions used for airways are much more shallow than even
the minimum DP climb gradient when constructing MCAs. When flying the DP you
comply with the requirements of the DP. You are not in the en route/Victor
Airway environment until you complete the DP.

[Ron Rosenfeld]

On Tue, 06 Apr 2004 02:41:40 GMT, "Doug Easton" >
wrote:

>Here's a question for the group from a low time ifr pilot...
>
>The HASSA4 DP out of Ontario, CA specifies a minimum climb gradient that
>would take you over the POM vor at 4400ft and then out V197 to the PMD vor.
>The MCA for the POM vor nw bound on V197 is 8300ft and the MEA for that
>segment is 10000ft. So can I fly the DP with the given climb gradient or am
>I going to have to climb in hold at the POM vor?
>
>Thanks
>

If you were required to climb in a hold at POM, it should have been so
stated in the DP. There is a restriction to climb at 350/375 ft per NM to
9,000 feet. So long as you do that, and then continue to climb at the
standard rate for the altitude above 9,000', you are assured obstacle
clearance.

Note that there is a restriction to cross POM at or *below* 9,000', an
"expect filed altitude" 10 minutes after departure.

Also, be sure to check winds aloft which may impact your climb rate.

In looking at the charts for that area, I see that the southbound MEA on
V197 is only 6400', and the MEA's south of POM are under 5,000', so I
suspect that the climb rate has been calculated to allow you to clear all
obstacles, and there is not an error in the procedure.




Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)

[Roy Smith]

Ron Rosenfeld > wrote:
> Also, be sure to check winds aloft which may impact your climb rate.

To pick a nit in an otherwise good answer, winds will not affect your
climb rate, just your climb gradient.

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Roy Smith wrote:

> Ron Rosenfeld > wrote:
> > Also, be sure to check winds aloft which may impact your climb rate.
>
> To pick a nit in an otherwise good answer, winds will not affect your
> climb rate, just your climb gradient.

True, unless the winds aloft cause a downdraft.

[Ron Rosenfeld]

On Tue, 06 Apr 2004 09:05:00 -0400, Roy Smith > wrote:

>To pick a nit in an otherwise good answer, winds will not affect your
>climb rate, just your climb gradient.

You're correct. And the "climb" noted on the NACO charts is more properly
called "climb gradient" on the Jepp charts.


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)

[kage]

On a "victor" airway, the climb gradient that must be made is 150 ft/nm
below 5000'.

120 ft/nm between 5000 and 10,000ft.

100 ft/nm above 10,000.

UNLESS there are charted restrictions.

Karl
CFII mode

[[email protected]]

kage wrote:

> On a "victor" airway, the climb gradient that must be made is 150 ft/nm
> below 5000'.
>
> 120 ft/nm between 5000 and 10,000ft.
>
> 100 ft/nm above 10,000.
>
> UNLESS there are charted restrictions.
>

Not exactly. Those values are correct, but any charted restriction will be
an MCA, not an increase in those gradients, unlike DPs.