MVA and minimum altitudes
02-09-2011, 10:21 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined APC: Oct 2008
Posts: 35
MVA and minimum altitudes
One of the interview questions is What is MVA? and is it published? The answer on the gouge was Minimum vectoring altitude, which I agree thats what it is. Then his answer to the question is it published? was "be carfull it is". What is that mean? Should the answer be that it is published for controllers only or is there an altitude on the low enroute, approach plate that controllers will never vector you below?
Any explanation on this would be great, just want to cover my butt here.
Thanks
Any explanation on this would be great, just want to cover my butt here.
Thanks
02-09-2011, 11:08 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Position: A-300 F/O
Posts: 281
Instrument Procedures Handbook (IPH)
This book should have some info for you.
It is the Min Vectoring Altitude and it is usually not published. Some airlines have MVA charts in their Jepps for certain terminal areas in certain countries where there is likely to be a language barrier or poor ATC control so crews can have one more tool to their SA tool bag to keep from getting the "Whoop Whoop--Pull UP"
This book should have some info for you.
It is the Min Vectoring Altitude and it is usually not published. Some airlines have MVA charts in their Jepps for certain terminal areas in certain countries where there is likely to be a language barrier or poor ATC control so crews can have one more tool to their SA tool bag to keep from getting the "Whoop Whoop--Pull UP"
02-09-2011, 11:46 AM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: FAA 'Flight Check'
Posts: 13,837
I was talking about this yesterday with my IP and he mentioned a few times that it IS NOT published (talking CONUS here), but is only known to the local controllers. He made a joke about it being taped up to the side of the window in the control tower or radar scope. 
I'm sure we'll have some of the current or former controllers come on here and give us a great answer!
USMCFLYR
I'm sure we'll have some of the current or former controllers come on here and give us a great answer!
USMCFLYR
Last edited by USMCFLYR; 02-09-2011 at 03:04 PM.
02-09-2011, 02:30 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2006
Position: DHC-8 SIC
Posts: 634
I used gov't charts for my IR and I did not see any MVA on those charts. Whether or not they are depicted in Jepp charts or foreign plates/charts I don't know. All I know is that only controllers use MVA in case of an urgency/emergency. If not the lowest you can go on a published airway is the MEA, MOCA, MRA etc. According to this article the MVA is usually lower than the MOCA so for a pilot to use MVA I am assuming they would have to be in a really tight spot (in a radar environment of course).
AOPA Online: Instrument Insights Part 3 of 12: Advance Planning
AOPA Online: Instrument Insights Part 3 of 12: Advance Planning
02-09-2011, 05:19 PM
#5
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Joined APC: Nov 2008
Posts: 826
Originally Posted by nocnik
One of the interview questions is What is MVA? and is it published? The answer on the gouge was Minimum vectoring altitude, which I agree thats what it is. Then his answer to the question is it published? was "be carfull it is". What is that mean?
"Published" doesn't necessarily mean it's published widely although the English definition contemplates public distribution. If you consider limited distribution of information in some form of media (paper, pdf files, etc) a form of "publication," of course they're published.
02-09-2011, 05:24 PM
#6
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Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
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Not published on charts and plates used for US domestic ops. But they are not a secret, and could be published if anyone wanted them. US controllers are reliable enough that we just trust them on that.
The first backup is GPWS, although doesn't folks who don't have it. I know of one instance in SOCAL where a controller forget a GA airplane doing training in IMC and they hit a mountain in the LA basin. Better SA might have saved them in that case.
The first backup is GPWS, although doesn't folks who don't have it. I know of one instance in SOCAL where a controller forget a GA airplane doing training in IMC and they hit a mountain in the LA basin. Better SA might have saved them in that case.
