How many feet must pilots add to their MEA/MOCA when flying over mountainous areas?

How many feet must pilots add to their MEA/MOCA when flying over mountainous areas?

• A. 500 ft
• B. 1000 ft
• C. 1500 ft
• D. 2000 ft

Answer: (D)

When flying over mountainous areas, pilots are required to add 2,000 feet to the Minimum Enroute Altitude (MEA) or Minimum Obstacle Clearance Altitude (MOCA). This regulation is in place to ensure that aircraft maintain a safe altitude above the highest terrain or obstacles in the vicinity, which is especially critical in mountainous regions where terrain can rise abruptly and unexpectedly. The 2,000-foot buffer provides an additional layer of safety, accounting for potential variations in terrain elevation and also allowing for unexpected situations, such as turbulence or unexpected loss of altitude. This practice helps to ensure adequate clearance not only from the terrain itself but also from potential obstacles like towers or other structures that may be present. By adhering to this altitude requirement, pilots can better navigate safely through or near mountainous areas, minimizing risks associated with flying in these challenging environments. In contrast, the other altitude buffer choices, while they have their own applications, do not meet the specific regulatory requirement for mountainous terrain, which explicitly mandates a 2,000-foot clearance.

When flying over mountainous areas, pilots are required to add 2,000 feet to the Minimum Enroute Altitude (MEA) or Minimum Obstacle Clearance Altitude (MOCA). This regulation is in place to ensure that aircraft maintain a safe altitude above the highest terrain or obstacles in the vicinity, which is especially critical in mountainous regions where terrain can rise abruptly and unexpectedly.

The 2,000-foot buffer provides an additional layer of safety, accounting for potential variations in terrain elevation and also allowing for unexpected situations, such as turbulence or unexpected loss of altitude. This practice helps to ensure adequate clearance not only from the terrain itself but also from potential obstacles like towers or other structures that may be present. By adhering to this altitude requirement, pilots can better navigate safely through or near mountainous areas, minimizing risks associated with flying in these challenging environments.

In contrast, the other altitude buffer choices, while they have their own applications, do not meet the specific regulatory requirement for mountainous terrain, which explicitly mandates a 2,000-foot clearance.