If DME is not available for the outbound leg of a 45/180 PT, what timing should you use?

If DME is not available for the outbound leg of a 45/180 PT, what timing should you use?

• A. 1 Minute
• B. 2 Minutes
• C. 30 Seconds
• D. 90 Seconds

Answer: (A)

When DME isn’t available for the outbound leg of a 45/180 procedure turn, you use a fixed timing to establish the outbound distance. For this maneuver, the standard timing is one minute. Flying the outbound leg for one minute gives you a predictable distance from the fix to safely complete the 45-degree offset and start the 180-degree inbound turn, without relying on distance-measuring equipment. If you know your groundspeed, you can estimate how far that one minute will carry you (roughly one minute of flight equals groundspeed in knots divided by 60 nautical miles), but the key point is that one minute is the approved timing when DME is unavailable.

When DME isn’t available for the outbound leg of a 45/180 procedure turn, you use a fixed timing to establish the outbound distance. For this maneuver, the standard timing is one minute. Flying the outbound leg for one minute gives you a predictable distance from the fix to safely complete the 45-degree offset and start the 180-degree inbound turn, without relying on distance-measuring equipment. If you know your groundspeed, you can estimate how far that one minute will carry you (roughly one minute of flight equals groundspeed in knots divided by 60 nautical miles), but the key point is that one minute is the approved timing when DME is unavailable.