SIDs explained simply For the rest of us.

A SID, or Standard Instrument Departure simply tells a pilot how to navigate from an airfield to nearby navigational aids or reporting points so that he/she can join an airway or other route. What this really does is allow the pilot to Leave the airport without bothering ATC for directions (vectors). SIDs are often used in areas where heavy traffic Is a consideration, or where getting away from an airport is more complicated.

This is a SID for the Hinko One Departure at Laughlin AFB. Our Communicate book refers to the Rocksprings Three (RSG3) departure, which is a Low departure, where Hinko One is the High one. I’ve presented Hinko One here because RSG3 is no longer available online. Luckily, they are pretty much the same, except for the altitudes flown. Note that some departures fit on a single page, as this one does, while more complicated departures may be on two or three pages.

The top part of the listing show us how To depart heading Northeast. This is important because as you leave Laughlin there are MOAs on both sides of you until you get out past Rocksprings on the low SID or past Hinko on the high one. If you take off to the North you fly runway heading, climb to 3000 feet, then turn right heading 070 to join radial 031 to Hinko. For Takeoff to the South you fly runway heading, climb to 3000 feet, and turn left 350 to join radial 031. Take a moment to locate this for yourself.

Simple enough, right? It is pretty easy. Keep in mind, though, that Hinko is a reporting point, not a navaid, so the DME measurements given become a bit more important. The first marker on the radial shows that I should join the radial in just under 15 miles. I have to look backwards to the DLF navaid to know that I have accomplished this. Then it’s another 45 miles to Hjorn, and 54 more miles to Hinko.

The chart at the top tells you how many feet per minute you should climb to be at FL230 by the time you reach Hjorn based on your speed.

The Departure Route Description give a little more detail about the departure procedures. From this description we know that runway heading is either 128 or 308 degrees (we got this from the diagram too). We also know from this that we need to cross the vortac and a few other radials (R-132, R-130, R-305, or R-307) before turning toward R-031 to cross ROSPE at or above 8000 feet and to cross HJORN above FL230. This is actually a pretty specific departure probably intended to get aircraft out between MOAs and high above some smaller VFR fields in the area to try to separate faster aircraft from slower ones.

Here we see what that looks like on the Low chart where the MOAs and nearby airports are clearly marked. I’ve drawn a red arrow where the radial would be if we could see it on the map.

SIDs are a way for an instrument pilot to exit the terminal area Quite simply, SIDs are a way for an instrument pilot to exit the terminal area with minimum help from ATC. They help us avoid obstacles, traffic, and sometimes embarrassment (you know guys don’t like to ask for directions).