Departure Procedure
What is departure procedure?
A departure procedure (DP) is a preplanned Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) departure routing published by Air Traffic Control for pilot use, provided in both textual and graphic form. It tells you how to safely transition from the runway to the en route phase of flight—often with specific headings, climb instructions, and altitudes to fly before proceeding on course (for example, "climb heading 174° to 1,600 feet before proceeding on course"). Think of it as your scripted "getting out of town safely" plan that ensures obstacle clearance and orderly traffic flow after takeoff.
Also known as: DP, departure procedure, instrument departure procedure
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