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Teterboro Six Departure confusion
I am confused by the Teterboro Six Departure Procedure off of runway 01. Does it mean climb to 2,000 feet then turn right to a heading of 040° at TEB 2.3 DME turn left to a heading of 280°? Or does it mean runway heading to a safe altitude of 500 feet then turn right heading 040° then at TEB 2.3 DME turn left heading 280° and maintain 2,000 feet? Or does it mean something else? The new description is more confusing than the old description.
_ATP, 800XP
- So that all are on the same sheet of music, here is the departure route description for the Teterboro Six departure: "Take-off Runways 1/6; Climb to 2000 via heading 040° to TEB 2.3 DME, then climbing left turn via heading 280°, maintain 2000 thence…." To further complicate the departure there is a "T" next to the Departure Route Description indicating additional takeoff requirements located in the front of the approach chart book for the NACO charts. Teterboro airport has take-off minimums for runway 1 of 400-2 ¼ or standard with a minimum climb of 294 ft/per NM to 500 feet. Then there is a Departure Procedure for runways 1 and 6: "climb heading 040° to 900 feet before proceeding on course".
To ensure the right information is passed on, Av Hazard called Teterboro Tower for a clarification of the departure procedures for runway 1. The controller stated the procedures indicated by the "T" give minimums to avoid the obstructions and comply with the noise abatement procedures due to a hospital located 1.7 nm north of runway 01 as mentioned in the Airport Facility Directory. The listed weather, climb gradient and the departure procedure "climb heading 040° to 900 feet before proceeding on course" provided an alternate means of compliance for the noise abatement procedure. Moving on to the SID, the tower stated the "Climb to 2,000 via" is the altitude the pilot must climb to and maintain while performing the heading changes and DME distance.
To be clear, the proper sequence for runway 01 according to the Teterboro Tower in a King Air let's say is: after takeoff with appropriate weather or climb gradient continue the climb to 500 feet (recommended minimum single engine safe altitude) before turning right and maintain a heading of 040° until reaching TEB 2.3 DME while climbing to maintain 2,000 feet. When reaching TEB 2.3 DME turn left to a heading of 280°. The takeoff procedure of 040° to 900 feet is already complied with in the Teterboro Six Departure Procedure. If the takeoff from runway 1 is performed VFR, then the pilot must follow the 040° to 900 feet before proceeding on course procedure.
Multiple Pontiac fixes
We were departing the St. Louis terminal area enroute to Detroit (SUS-DET) and I was given a revised routing "Pontiac–Ft. Wayne–Wakeville". Not being a local and not knowing the three letter identifier, rather than ask the busy controller, I typed "Pontiac" into the FMS and luckily came up with PNT, which was correct. Later, I was scanning the chart and I noticed I could have mistaken PSI, Pontiac, MI in the FMS and started flying toward the wrong VOR. Use caution to correctly identify which "Pontiac" is meant in clearances. The hazard is having two VORs or fixes in relative close proximity that share the same name.
_ATP, EMB 500.
- A similar concern was discussed in the February 2009 issue of Av Hazard with intersections in the Detroit area with similar sounding names. As professional pilots, we must not let vanity get in the way of a safe flight. If there is any doubt to the meaning of a clearance or the true spelling of a fix or intersection, we must ask for clarification. We can't assume we got the right waypoint loaded into the FMS and hope we are headed in the direction ATC wanted us to go. It is easier to ask for directions (maybe not for us guys) then it is to explain a pilot deviation.