Suitability of Route

Obtain current charts (VNC/VTA), the Canada Flight Supplement lists the dates and versions of all current charts for Canada. Outdated charts may not contain all the information required to safely complete a flight, this is especially true for IFR flights. Next review the route, check for bodies of water, and for mountainous or sparsely settled areas. Avoid restricted, danger or alert areas. Are there any special requirements such as survival equipment, life jackets, etc? Consider the need to divert to en route alternate airports and find suitable refuelling points along the way.

After the general route has been verified, decide on the departure type (Set Heading Point, Enroute, or Overhead). For the purpose of this example, we will select a set heading point. This entails flying to an easily recognizable landmark prior to proceeding en route. Overhead departures require an aircraft to climb to a high altitude above the airport prior to proceeding en route. This may be required in the case of terrain or restricted airspace preventing the use of other departure types. An en route departure is one in which the aircraft turns on course during the climb, it is often the most fuel-efficient and shortest method of departure.

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