Visual Climb Over Airport (VCOA): Reading the TPP Entry, Flying the Spiral, and the ATC Approval You Need
Updated: Oct 5
Departing an airport under IFR can be especially challenging in areas with mountainous terrain, obstacles, or limited departure paths. Most instrument pilots know Obstacle Departure Procedures and Standard Instrument Departures, but fewer fully understand a third option that exists precisely for the airports where the other two don't work for your airplane: the Visual Climb Over Airport. A VCOA lets you depart under an IFR clearance, climb visually in a spiral over the airport to a published altitude — above the obstacle problem — and then proceed on your IFR route. It's the published escape hatch when the ODP demands a climb gradient your aircraft simply can't produce. But it carries a few requirements that pilots get wrong: it needs ATC approval, it has both a ceiling and a visibility minimum, and once you commit to it, the obstacle clearance during the spiral is entirely on you.
This post covers the VCOA in practical depth: what it is and why it exists, how to read the TPP entry word by word, the ceiling-and-visibility minimums and the geometry they define, the ATC approval requirement, the step-by-step technique for flying the spiral, a worked time-and-altitude calculation, what to do if you lose visual reference, how a VCOA differs from departing VFR, and the checkride questions with answers.
Study this full length lesson (video, podcast, flashcards, and quiz) here: Full Length Lesson >
What a Visual Climb Over Airport Is
A VCOA is a published departure option that allows a pilot to depart under IFR, climb visually within a defined area over the airport to a specified altitude, and then proceed on course under IFR.
The sequence:
Depart under an IFR clearance (with ATC approval for the VCOA — below)
Remain within the visual climb area over the airport (defined by the published visibility)
Climb visually, typically in a circling or spiral pattern, keeping the airport in sight
Reach the published "cross the airport at or above" altitude
Then proceed on the IFR route, now above the obstacle environment
The key requirement:
You must maintain visual reference with the airport environment at all times during the climb
You're clearing obstacles by SEEING them (or by staying over the airport where there are none), not by instrument procedure design
The visual portion is what makes it work — and what limits it
Visual means visual
What it is, formally:
A VCOA is a type of Obstacle Departure Procedure — it's published in the ODP section as an ALTERNATIVE to a climb-gradient ODP
It's part of the IFR system (you're on an IFR clearance throughout)
It's not a "VFR departure" — more on that distinction below
An IFR departure with a protected visual segment
Why VCOAs Exist
VCOAs are developed for airports where a straight-out instrument departure can't be made to work for all aircraft.
The typical situation:
Terrain or obstacles surround the airport
The ODP for the runway requires a climb gradient of, say, 400 or 500 ft/NM to a high altitude
Many light aircraft (especially normally aspirated singles on a warm day) cannot produce that gradient
Without an alternative, those aircraft couldn't depart IFR at all
The VCOA solution:
Instead of forcing the aircraft into a narrow, steep departure corridor it can't climb in, let it climb at its OWN rate directly over the airport — where the terrain is lowest and the airport itself is the only thing below
Once at an altitude above the surrounding obstacles, proceed on course
The gradient problem is solved by trading horizontal distance for time spent spiraling
Climb where it's safe, then go
Why it's a published option and not improvisation:
The procedure designers have evaluated the obstacles around the airport and determined the altitude above which a departure on course is safe
The published ceiling and visibility ensure you can see what you need to see
It's protected, evaluated airspace — within its conditions
A designed procedure, not a workaround
Where VCOAs Are Published and How to Read the Entry
VCOAs live in the "Takeoff Minimums, (Obstacle) Departure Procedures, and Diverse Vector Area" section of the TPP — the same place as textual ODPs. They're textual, not graphic, and airport-specific. Here's how to read a typical entry.
A representative entry (format shown; check the actual TPP for any airport):
TAKEOFF MINIMUMS: Rwy 27, std. w/min. climb of 450' per NM to 7000, or 2000-3 for VCOA.DEPARTURE PROCEDURE: Rwy 27, climbing left turn heading 180 to 7000 before proceeding on course.VCOA: Obtain ATC approval for VCOA when requesting IFR clearance. Climb in visual conditions to cross [Airport] at or above 6800 before proceeding on course.
Reading it line by line:
"std. w/min. climb of 450' per NM to 7000" — the standard takeoff minimums (1 SM / ½ SM for commercial operators) apply IF you can climb 450 ft/NM to 7,000 feet. That's the gradient ODP.
"or 2000-3 for VCOA" — OR, if you can't make the gradient, you may use the VCOA with a 2,000-foot ceiling and 3 SM visibility. This is the two-part VCOA weather minimum.
"Obtain ATC approval for VCOA when requesting IFR clearance" — the ATC requirement (below). You ask for it when you get your clearance.
"Climb in visual conditions to cross [Airport] at or above 6800" — the visual climb altitude. Spiral over the airport in VMC until you're at or above 6,800 feet MSL over the field.
"before proceeding on course" — once at or above 6,800 over the airport, join your IFR route (or the rest of the ODP, if specified).
The "or" is the key word:
The gradient ODP and the VCOA are alternatives joined by "or"
You pick the one you can comply with
If you can make 450 ft/NM, fly the gradient; if not, fly the VCOA (weather permitting)
The VCOA exists because of that "or"
The ceiling and visibility are a pair:
"2000-3" is ceiling-visibility, read like landing minimums
You need BOTH: 2,000-foot ceiling AND 3 SM visibility
One without the other doesn't qualify
Always two numbers
The Ceiling and Visibility Minimums: What They Protect
Unlike a standard gradient ODP (which is flown in IMC), a VCOA always publishes a ceiling AND a visibility — and each one protects something specific.
Why a ceiling:
You must stay in visual conditions while climbing to the published altitude
So the cloud base must be high enough to let you spiral up far enough to see over the obstacles before you enter cloud
The published ceiling ensures you can climb to the point where the obstacle picture is clear
Ceiling = how high you can climb visually
Why a visibility:
You must keep the airport in sight throughout the spiral
You must be able to see terrain and obstacles to avoid them
The visibility also defines the GEOMETRY of the visual climb area (below)
Visibility = how far you can see, and how far you may wander
The visual climb area geometry:
The protected area for the visual climb is based on the published visibility
You must remain within that distance of the airport while spiraling (so that the airport stays in sight, and so you stay in the evaluated area)
With "3" published, you stay within about 3 SM of the airport
The visibility number is also your lateral limit
Why this matters practically:
A wide spiral that drifts 5 miles downwind of the airport has left the protected area
Keep the spiral tight and centered on the field
The published visibility is a fence, not just a weather number
Stay inside it
If the minimums can't be met:
The VCOA is not available
You're back to the gradient ODP (if you can fly it) or not departing IFR
No improvising below the published ceiling/visibility
Hard minimums
The ATC Approval Requirement (Correcting a Common Misconception)
A VCOA requires ATC approval — this is the point most often gotten wrong.
The rule:
The TPP entry says it directly: "Obtain ATC approval for VCOA when requesting IFR clearance"
The AIM directs pilots to advise ATC of the intent to fly the VCOA as early as possible before departure
You cannot simply decide to fly it after takeoff
Approval is part of the procedure
Why ATC must approve it:
You'll be spiraling in a block of airspace over the airport for several minutes
ATC needs to protect that airspace from other arrivals and departures
Your climb profile won't match what a normal departure does (you'll be over the field, climbing, not proceeding on course)
They need to know, and they need to say yes
How to request it:
When you call for your IFR clearance (Clearance Delivery, the RCO, or Flight Service), state that you intend to fly the VCOA: "Request the VCOA for runway two-seven"
ATC will approve it (possibly with restrictions), or deny it and offer an alternative
Get the approval BEFORE you depart
Build it into the clearance request
What ATC may do:
Approve it as published
Add restrictions (an altitude to stay below while spiraling, a direction of turns, a report when established)
Deny it due to traffic and offer vectors or a delay
Ask you to report "proceeding on course" when you reach the altitude
The "VCOA vs. SID" clearance comparison, corrected:
A SID requires an ATC clearance (it's assigned)
A gradient ODP does NOT require an ATC clearance (the pilot's own tool)
A VCOA requires ATC APPROVAL (requested with the clearance)
The VCOA is the exception among ODPs on this point
At a non-towered airport:
Request the VCOA when you get your clearance by phone or RCO
You'll likely get a release and void time as usual, with the VCOA approved
Report proceeding on course when you reach the altitude (as instructed)
Same approval, different delivery
Flying the VCOA: Step by Step
The actual technique, which the original doesn't describe.
Before departure:
Confirm the weather meets the published ceiling AND visibility
Confirm your aircraft can reach the "cross at or above" altitude in a reasonable time (the worked calculation below)
Request and receive ATC approval for the VCOA with your clearance
Brief the altitude, the direction of turns, the lateral limit (the visibility distance), and the on-course routing after the climb
Brief the lose-visual plan (below)
Takeoff and initial climb:
Take off normally
Stay in visual conditions — you are NOT climbing into cloud
Begin a climbing turn to keep the airport in sight and stay within the visual climb area
Establish a continuous spiral climb over the airport (a series of 360s, or a racetrack, centered on the field)
During the spiral:
Keep the airport in sight at all times — this is the governing requirement
Stay within the published visibility distance of the airport
Climb at Vy (best rate) — you want altitude per minute, not per mile
Use a moderate bank (standard rate is fine); don't tighten the spiral into a steep, high-load-factor turn at low speed
Watch for terrain and obstacles visually — ATC is not providing obstacle separation during the visual portion
Monitor your position relative to the airport (don't drift downwind out of the area)
Reaching the altitude:
Cross over the airport at or above the published altitude
Only now proceed on course — join the IFR route (or the remaining ODP instructions, if any)
Report to ATC as instructed ("proceeding on course")
Transition to instrument navigation; you may now enter IMC above the published altitude
After the climb:
You're on a normal IFR departure
Continue the climb to your assigned altitude on course
The obstacle problem is behind you
Standard IFR from here
The Worked Calculation: How Long Will You Be Spiraling?
The real workload question a VCOA poses — and the original doesn't answer — is how long you'll be circling.
The inputs:
Airport elevation: 4,500 feet MSL
VCOA "cross at or above" altitude: 6,800 feet MSL
Altitude to gain: 2,300 feet
Your aircraft's actual rate of climb at the current density altitude and weight: say 400 fpm (a loaded, normally aspirated single on a warm day)
The time:
2,300 ÷ 400 = about 5.75 minutes of spiraling
Plus the time to get established — call it 6–7 minutes over the field
At standard rate, that's about three full 360-degree turns
That's the workload: 6–7 minutes of visual spiraling while keeping the airport in sight, holding Vy, and watching terrain
Why the number matters:
It tells you whether the VCOA is practical — a 1,000 fpm climber makes it in a couple of minutes; a 300 fpm climber spirals for 8 minutes, which is a long time to keep the field in sight and the spiral centered
It tells ATC roughly how long you'll occupy the airspace
It tells you how much fuel and attention the departure will cost
Run it before you commit
Density altitude's double hit:
High density altitude is often WHY you need the VCOA (you can't make the gradient)
But it also lowers your rate of climb, making the spiral longer
The conditions that drive you to the VCOA also make it harder
Plan for the actual rate, not the sea-level book number
The spiral's drift problem:
A 6-minute spiral in a 20-knot wind drifts 2 NM downwind if you don't correct
That eats most of a 3 SM visual climb area
Bias your turns into the wind to stay centered on the airport
Wind management is part of the technique
If You Lose Visual Reference
The scenario the original raises ("the pilot may have no safe escape option") deserves a decision tree, not just a warning.
Prevention first:
Don't start a VCOA in marginal conditions — the published minimums are minimums
Check the trend (is the ceiling lowering? is visibility dropping?)
If the weather is at or near the minimums and deteriorating, don't go
The best lose-visual plan is never needing one
If you lose sight of the airport or enter cloud BELOW the published altitude:
You are now in IMC below an altitude where obstacle clearance was never evaluated for your position
This is a genuine emergency
Options, in rough order:
Descend and land if you can regain visual conditions and the airport quickly (you just left VMC, so it's likely right below you)
Climb straight ahead at Vx on a heading you KNOW is clear from your briefing of the terrain, while declaring an emergency and asking ATC for help
Climb in the spiral if you're confident of your position directly over the airport (the airport itself has no obstacles above field elevation, so directly over it is the safest column of air)
Declare the emergency — ATC may have terrain information and can keep traffic away
Why "directly over the airport" is the safe column:
The whole premise of the VCOA is that the airspace directly above the airport is clear of obstacles
If you lose visual while tightly centered on the field, continuing the climb over the field is a reasonable path to the published altitude
If you've drifted, you don't know what's below you
Stay centered so this option stays available
If you lose visual ABOVE the published altitude:
That's expected and fine — you've completed the visual portion
Proceed on course under IFR
The published altitude is where IMC becomes acceptable
No emergency
The briefing takeaway:
Before every VCOA, know: the nearest safe heading, the terrain picture, and your commitment to stay over the field
A VCOA with no lose-visual plan is a gamble
Brief it
VCOA vs. "Departing VFR and Picking Up IFR Airborne"
A critical distinction pilots blur — and the two are not the same thing.
The VCOA:
You are on an IFR clearance from the moment you depart
The visual climb area has been EVALUATED by procedure designers for obstacle clearance
ATC has approved it and is protecting the airspace
Once you reach the published altitude, you're in the IFR system with no gap
A protected, published procedure
Departing VFR to pick up IFR airborne:
You depart with NO IFR clearance, under VFR rules
You must maintain VFR cloud clearance and visibility (not just "visual conditions")
Nobody has evaluated your climb path for obstacles — it's entirely your judgment
You must get your clearance from ATC airborne, and if you can't (frequency congestion, no radar contact, ATC says "unable"), you're stuck VFR with weather you may have planned to climb through
An unprotected choice
Why the difference matters:
The VCOA is the IFR system giving you a designed solution for the gradient problem
The VFR-pickup is you leaving the IFR system and hoping to rejoin it
The VCOA has a published altitude at which you may enter IMC; the VFR departure has no such protection — entering IMC without a clearance is a violation and a hazard
Different legal status, different risk
When each is appropriate:
VCOA: when published, the weather meets its minimums, and you can't make the gradient ODP — it's the right tool
VFR departure to pick up IFR: only in solid VMC well above VFR minimums, when you can stay VFR until you have the clearance in hand, and with a plan if you can't get it
Don't use a VFR departure as a substitute for a VCOA that doesn't exist or whose minimums you can't meet
The VCOA is the better option when available
VCOA vs. ODP vs. SID
The three departure tools, with the clearance point corrected.
Gradient ODP:
Obstacle clearance by instrument procedure (heading, turn, climb gradient)
Can be flown in IMC
Does NOT require ATC clearance (pilot's tool, flown on your own initiative)
The default when you can make the gradient
VCOA:
Obstacle clearance by VISUAL maneuvering over the airport, then IFR
The visual portion CANNOT be flown in IMC (must meet the ceiling/visibility)
REQUIRES ATC approval (requested with the clearance)
Published as an alternative to the gradient ODP (the "or")
The option when you can't make the gradient
SID:
Primarily traffic flow (with obstacle clearance built in)
Can be flown in IMC
Requires an ATC clearance (assigned)
The option at busy airports
The decision:
Can you fly the SID (if one exists and ATC assigns it)? → fly it
Can you make the ODP gradient? → fly the gradient ODP
Can't make the gradient, VCOA is published, and the weather meets its minimums? → request the VCOA
None of the above? → don't depart IFR (wait, lighten, change runways)
Performance Considerations
Why aircraft performance is central, expanded.
Evaluate before attempting a VCOA:
Actual rate of climb at the current density altitude and weight (not the book sea-level number)
The time the spiral will take (the worked calculation)
Fuel for the extra climb time
Whether a slow climb keeps you in the obstacle environment uncomfortably long
The slow-climber problem:
A slow-climbing aircraft remains in the obstacle-rich environment longer
More time for the weather to change, more drift to manage, more fatigue
The VCOA is designed for exactly these aircraft — but the pilot must manage the longer exposure
Know your rate
The irony:
The VCOA exists for aircraft that can't climb steeply
Those are the aircraft for whom the spiral takes longest
Plan accordingly
The tool fits the problem, but the problem is real
Weight and balance:
A lighter aircraft climbs faster (shorter spiral) and may even make the gradient ODP
Consider whether reducing weight eliminates the need for the VCOA entirely
Sometimes the best VCOA is the one you don't have to fly
Run both numbers
Weather Considerations
Why VCOAs are weather-sensitive, expanded.
Especially sensitive to:
Marginal conditions at or near the published minimums
Rapidly changing ceilings (a 2,500-foot ceiling dropping toward 2,000 during your 6-minute spiral)
Mountain obscuration (the terrain you need to see is in cloud)
Smoke, haze, or precipitation reducing visibility during the climb
The trend matters more than the current observation:
A METAR at the minimums with a deteriorating trend is a no-go
A METAR well above the minimums and stable is the VCOA's comfort zone
Check the TAF and the trend, not just the current numbers
Weather that's barely legal is barely safe
The mountain-specific issue:
VCOAs are common at mountain airports
Mountain weather changes fast and locally
The ceiling over the airport may differ from the ceiling over the terrain you need to clear
Look at the terrain you'll need to see, not just the sky above the field
The night question:
VCOA minimums are published without a day/night distinction in most cases
But "visual conditions" at night means you must see the airport (lit) and the terrain (often unlit)
Many instructors treat a night VCOA as a last resort, not a routine option, because unlit terrain is nearly invisible
Know what you can actually see in the dark
Pilot Responsibilities During a VCOA
The responsibilities, consolidated.
You are responsible for:
Obtaining ATC approval before departure
Confirming the ceiling and visibility meet the published minimums
Maintaining visual conditions throughout the climb to the published altitude
Remaining within the visual climb area (the published visibility distance from the airport)
Keeping the airport in sight
Seeing and avoiding terrain and obstacles — ATC does not provide obstacle separation during the visual portion
Reaching the published altitude over the airport before proceeding on course
Transitioning to instrument navigation once at the altitude
Having a lose-visual plan
The "ATC does not provide obstacle separation" point:
During the visual climb, you're clearing obstacles by looking at them
ATC approved the airspace; they're not watching the terrain for you (and may not have radar coverage at a mountain airport)
The responsibility shifts from procedure design to pilot judgment
This is the VCOA's defining trade-off
Training and Checkride Questions — With Answers
"When can you fly a VCOA?"
When one is published for the airport/runway, the weather meets the published ceiling AND visibility, you've obtained ATC approval with your clearance, and your aircraft can reach the published altitude in a reasonable time.
"Is a VCOA mandatory?"
No. It's an alternative to the gradient ODP, joined by "or." You choose it when you can't comply with the climb gradient. If you can make the gradient, fly the gradient ODP.
"Does a VCOA require ATC clearance?"
It requires ATC APPROVAL, requested when you get your IFR clearance ("Obtain ATC approval for VCOA when requesting IFR clearance"). This distinguishes it from a gradient ODP, which needs no approval.
"Who is responsible for obstacle clearance?"
During the visual climb, the PILOT — by maintaining visual conditions and seeing and avoiding terrain while staying over the airport. ATC does not provide obstacle separation during the visual portion. Once at the published altitude and on course, the normal IFR procedure provides it.
"What happens if you lose visual conditions?"
Below the published altitude, it's an emergency: descend and land if you can regain visual, or climb on a known-clear heading (or directly over the field if you're centered) while declaring and getting ATC help. Above the published altitude, entering IMC is expected — proceed on course.
"What's the difference between a VCOA and departing VFR to pick up IFR?"
A VCOA is an IFR departure with an evaluated, protected visual segment and ATC approval. A VFR departure has no clearance, no evaluated path, and requires full VFR until you obtain a clearance airborne — if you can.
"How do you read the VCOA minimums?"
As ceiling-visibility, like landing minimums: "2000-3" means a 2,000-foot ceiling and 3 SM visibility, both required.
Best Practices for Using VCOAs
Treat the VCOA as a legitimate published tool for the gradient problem — but not a casual one
Prefer the gradient ODP when your aircraft can fly it (it's flyable in IMC and needs no approval)
Run the time-to-altitude calculation before committing
Request ATC approval with your clearance, every time
Brief the altitude, the turn direction, the lateral limit, the on-course routing, and the lose-visual plan
Stay tightly centered on the airport; bias into the wind
Climb at Vy, moderate bank, airport in sight
Set personal minimums above the published ceiling and visibility
Be very cautious with night VCOAs over unlit terrain
Consider whether reducing weight lets you fly the gradient ODP instead
Conclusion
The Visual Climb Over Airport is a valuable — and demanding — tool in IFR departure planning. It exists for the airports where the obstacle departure demands a climb gradient your aircraft can't produce, and it solves the problem elegantly: climb at your own rate directly over the airport, where the terrain is lowest, until you're above the obstacle picture, then proceed on course. Read the TPP entry carefully — the "or" that offers the VCOA, the two-part ceiling-and-visibility minimum, the "cross at or above" altitude — and remember the requirement the original folklore gets wrong: you must obtain ATC approval when you request your clearance.
It shifts obstacle-clearance responsibility from procedure design to pilot judgment during the spiral, requiring strong situational awareness, honest aircraft performance numbers, favorable and stable weather, and a briefed plan for losing visual reference. Pilots who understand when and how to use a VCOA gain real flexibility at challenging airports — but only when used conservatively and correctly.
On the Written Test and Checkride
VCOAs appear on instrument and CFII orals and in mountain-flying training. The most commonly tested topics:
What a VCOA is and why it exists (the gradient alternative)
Where it's published (the TPP takeoff minimums/ODP section) and how to read it
The ceiling AND visibility minimums
That ATC approval is required (requested with the clearance)
That ATC does not provide obstacle separation during the visual portion
The difference between a VCOA, a gradient ODP, and a SID
What to do if visual conditions are lost
Quick Reference
VCOA (Visual Climb Over Airport):
An IFR departure option: climb visually over the airport to a published altitude, then proceed on course
A type of ODP, published as an alternative to the climb-gradient ODP (joined by "or")
Exists for aircraft that can't make the published gradient
Must maintain visual reference with the airport throughout the climb
Reading the TPP Entry:
"std. w/min. climb of 450' per NM to 7000" → the gradient ODP
"or 2000-3 for VCOA" → the VCOA weather minimum: 2,000-ft ceiling AND 3 SM visibility
"Obtain ATC approval for VCOA when requesting IFR clearance" → the approval requirement
"Climb in visual conditions to cross [Airport] at or above 6800 before proceeding on course" → the visual climb altitude and the hand-off to IFR
The Minimums (two parts, both required):
Ceiling: lets you climb visually high enough to see over the obstacles
Visibility: lets you see terrain/airport — and defines the visual climb area (stay within that distance of the airport)
ATC Approval:
REQUIRED — request it when you get your IFR clearance
ATC may approve, restrict (altitude, turn direction, reports), or deny
Report "proceeding on course" when at the altitude, as instructed
(Gradient ODPs need no approval; VCOAs do)
Flying It:
Confirm weather ≥ minimums and ATC approval obtained
Take off, stay VMC
Spiral climb centered on the airport, within the visibility distance
Vy, moderate bank, airport in sight, bias into the wind
Watch terrain — ATC provides NO obstacle separation during the visual climb
Cross the airport at or above the published altitude
THEN proceed on course under IFR (IMC now acceptable)
Worked Time Calculation:
Altitude to gain ÷ actual rate of climb = spiral time
Example: 2,300 ft ÷ 400 fpm ≈ 6 minutes (~3 standard-rate 360s)
Use the actual density-altitude climb rate, not the book number
A 20-kt wind drifts you 2 NM in 6 minutes — correct for it
Lose Visual Reference:
Above the published altitude: expected — proceed on course
Below it: EMERGENCY — descend and land if you can regain visual; or climb on a known-clear heading (or directly over the field if centered); declare and get ATC help
Prevention: don't start a VCOA at marginal or deteriorating minimums
VCOA vs. Departing VFR:
VCOA: IFR clearance throughout, evaluated/protected visual area, ATC approved, published altitude for entering IMC
VFR departure: no clearance, no evaluated path, must stay VFR until a clearance is obtained airborne (if obtainable)
Not interchangeable
VCOA vs. ODP vs. SID:
Gradient ODP | VCOA | SID | |
Purpose | Obstacle clearance | Obstacle clearance (visual) | Traffic flow |
In IMC? | Yes | No (visual portion) | Yes |
ATC approval/clearance? | No | Approval required | Clearance required |
When used | Can make the gradient | Can't make the gradient | Assigned at busy airports |
Best Practices:
Prefer the gradient ODP if you can fly it
Run the time calculation
Request approval with the clearance
Brief altitude, turns, lateral limit, routing, lose-visual plan
Personal minimums above published
Caution at night over unlit terrain
Key Principle:
A VCOA lets an aircraft that can't make the published climb gradient depart IFR by spiraling visually over the airport — where terrain is lowest — to a published altitude, then proceeding on course. It requires ATC approval (requested with your clearance), both a ceiling and a visibility minimum, and continuous visual reference to the airport, with the pilot — not ATC — responsible for obstacle clearance during the climb. Read the "or" in the TPP, run the time calculation, and brief what you'll do if you lose sight of the field.
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Author: Nathan Hodell
CFI, CFII, MEI, ATP, Creator and CEO
Nathan is an aviation enthusiast with thousands of hours of flying and dual instruction over the past 15+ years. Through his aviation career he has been able to earn his ATP, fly as an airline pilot, own/operate flight schools, and create and host wifiCFI.