Lost comms procedure after takeoff

WDD said:
So the answer is that if you lose coms after departure just fly the route as cleared?


Also - “expect 7000 after 10 min” - start the climb after 10, or be there after 10? That is, start climb after 5 minutes so you can get there by 10, but keep 2000 feet until then?
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The expect time refers to when you can expect to execute the next portion of the clearance. That means start the climb in 10 minutes, not arrive at 7000 in 10 minutes.

BTW, I noticed that this thread was from 3 months ago, and GARL9 DP does not exist anymore.
 
Follow up question. You get an expect 6000 after 10 min for your clearance. You’re assigned 4000 when you make contact with Departure after you depart and switch from tower. You pass a few fixes. One hour after departure you lose coms.

MEA AVEF. The highest is “expect 6000”. Do I climb to 6000 at that point?
 
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WDD said:
Follow up question. You get an expect 6000 after 10 min for your clearance. You’re assigned 4000 when you make contact with Departure after you depart and switch from tower. You pass a few fixes. One hour after departure you lose coms.

MEA AVEF. The highest is “expect 6000”. Do I climb to 6000 at that point?
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After 10 minutes, tell ATC that you're expecting 6000. Don't wait for an hour.
 
I’ve been talking to ATC for an hour. Flying at the assigned 4000. Handed off to another controller.

Then the radio dies. What altitude to fly at this time?
 
WDD said:
I’ve been talking to ATC for an hour. Flying at the assigned 4000. Handed off to another controller.

Then the radio dies. What altitude to fly at this time?
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Regardless of the regulatory answer, once you're no longer flying a SID, they won't expect you to fly below MOCA or MSA (as applicable) after losing comms, so climb to at least that.
 
I was never flying a SID. Assume Moca and MEA are 3000. Question is do I climb to the expected I was given an hour ago or stay at the assigned I’ve been flying for an hour ?
 
MauleSkinner said:
Your expect was 50 minutes ago. Unless that has been updated, you’re no longer expecting it.
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Ah — so if I’m past the “expect time”, it is no longer “in play”. It’s then between “assigned” or MEA/MOCA/ fly high enough not to hit something.
 
A great question. If asked a little differently a different answer might make more sense even though the rule is the same. For example, say you were flying an airplane that guzzled fuel down low and needed a much higher fuel-efficient altitude just in order to reach your destination. Asking the same question posed like this, "Would you climb to FL410 if you lost comms 15 minutes after departure and only have been cleared to 10,000 feet?" I would. In your instance, I wouldn't. The difference in cleared and expected altitude is too small and the elapsed time since the expected higher time is too great.
 
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