Now that we have become familiar with the basic navigation aids and some elementary holding techniques, we'll continue to up the ante by moving into the (not so) dark and mysterious world of SIDs and STARs.
Last issue, we saw how holding patterns are a very useful way of providing IFR aircraft separation. Standard Instrument Departures (SIDs) are another way ATC and pilots can ensure we all play nicely together in the skies. For now, let's imagine a busy regional airport where we have a mix of VFR and IFR aircraft perhaps ranging in size from small Cessnas to passenger jetliners.
Even with all the aircraft taking off in the same general direction, they all have their own flight plans that can involve them flying to all points of the compass. The potential for conflict is quite high.
So, what to do about it? Wouldn't it be simpler and safer for all if we insisted all the aircraft taking off first follow a standard pattern to take them above and away from the congestion before allowing them to continue on their planned route?
Figure 1 shows just such a set of plans for Valencia/LEVC using the Chart Viewer from Navigraph. It does precisely what we have described and comes under the name of, you guessed it, a SID. …
