Which statement is true about MEA on an airway?

Which statement is true about MEA on an airway?

• A. MEA guarantees NAVAID reception between NAVAIDs
• B. MEA does not guarantee NAVAID reception
• C. MEA provides only obstacle clearance
• D. MEA indicates altitude for VFR only

Answer: (A)

Minimum Enroute Altitude (MEA) is the lowest published altitude on an IFR airway between NAVAIDs that ensures two things: safe obstacle clearance and reliable reception of the navigation signal from the NAVAIDs defining that route. Because of that, the statement that MEA guarantees NAVAID reception between NAVAIDs is true—you should be able to receive the VOR/DME signal along the whole segment when flying at or above MEA, which is essential for IFR navigation on that airway.

It’s helpful to contrast this with other ideas: MEA isn’t only about obstacle clearance, since it also guarantees the navigation signal. It isn’t a VFR-only altitude, as MEA applies to IFR enroute navigation. And while there are altitudes like MOCA, which do provide obstacle clearance, MOCA’s NAVAID reception guarantee is limited to within about 22 miles of a VOR, not the entire airway segment.