What is the minimum time separation required when two aircraft depart adjacent airports with diverging courses by 55°?

Prepare for the Controller Knowledge Test 1 with quizzes featuring detailed questions and explanations. Enhance your knowledge and increase your chances of success on the CKT1 exam!

The minimum time separation required when two aircraft depart adjacent airports with diverging courses by 55° is 1 minute. This separation time is based on established aviation safety protocols designed to prevent potential conflicts in airspace. When aircraft are departing on diverging courses, they can safely be released with less separation time compared to when they are on parallel courses or crossing paths directly.

The 1-minute separation allows sufficient time for each aircraft to gain altitude and ensure that their flight paths will not converge, reducing the risk of wake turbulence and maintaining safe distances from one another. This is important to ensure that both aircraft can gain the necessary altitude safely and establish a clear separation in the areas where they are climbing.

In contrast, greater separation times, such as 2 or 3 minutes, would be used for other types of departures, particularly when the courses are not sufficiently divergent, or when other factors, such as weather or specific types of aircraft, are at play. Thus, 1 minute is considered the minimum time suitable for the scenario described in the question.

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy