If an obstacle penetrates a slope of 152' per NM, what could TERPS require for departure?

• A. A minimum climb gradient or ceiling
• B. A recommended descent path
• C. A speed constraint
• D. A new runway heading

Answer: (A)

When TERPS finds that an obstacle intrudes into the protected departure path, the procedure must still ensure enough clearance as you move away from the runway. In that case, the remedy is to require a higher climb performance to stay above obstacles, or to impose a ceiling—an altitude by a certain distance that guarantees you won’t hit the obstacle. So a minimum climb gradient or a ceiling is the appropriate response to an obstacle penetrating the slope. The other options don’t address obstacle clearance on departure: a descent path is relevant to arrivals, not departures; a speed constraint doesn’t by itself guarantee obstacle clearance; and changing the runway heading isn’t the mechanism used to resolve obstacle penetration of the departure surface.