Practice question

For Case III departing Jet aircraft, accelerate to ____ knots crossing ____ NM at _____ ft. At ___ NM, execute turn to 10 NM Until intercepting departure radial.

  1. 350 knots; crossing 7 NM at 1300 ft. At 9 NM, turn to 12 NM.
  2. 250 knots; crossing 3 NM at 2000 ft. At 5 NM, turn to 8 NM
  3. 300 knots; crossing 5 NM at 1500 ft. At 7 NM, execute turn to 10 NM
  4. 280 knots; crossing 6 NM at 1000 ft. At 8 NM, turn to 9 NM

Answer: C — 300 knots; crossing 5 NM at 1500 ft. At 7 NM, execute turn to 10 NM

Case III jet departures are designed to place a high-energy climb on the published route while preserving safe separation. The recommended sequence is to accelerate to 300 knots by the time you cross five nautical miles from the ship, at about 1,500 feet. Then, at seven nautical miles, initiate a turn to join the 10 NM outbound radius and fly the arc until you intercept the departure radial. This keeps you inside the protected departure corridor, provides enough energy for the climb and turn, and lines you up with the correct radial for the next segment. Other profiles either push you too fast or too slow at the wrong distance, or place you at an inappropriate altitude when turning, which would disrupt the established departure geometry and separation. The profile described above matches the required tempo and geometry for Case III departures.

Practice more: Carrier Air Traffic Control Center (CATCC) Practice Exam →