In a nonradar environment, with no appropriate fix and NO approach control, allow a departure to take off ___ minute(s) before an arriving aircraft is estimated at the airport when the takeoff direction differs by at least 45° from the reciprocal of the final approach course.

• A. 1 minute
• B. 3 minutes
• C. 5 minutes
• D. 7 minutes

Answer: (B)

In nonradar operations without a fix or approach control, you manage arrival/departure sequencing with time-based separation. When an arriving aircraft is estimated at the airport and the takeoff direction differs by at least 45° from the reciprocal of the final approach course, you may let the departure go three minutes before the arrival. This 3-minute head start provides enough separation given typical climb rates and speeds, allowing the departing aircraft to move away from the inbound path before the arriving aircraft reaches the final approach area. Shorter intervals like one minute risk overlap, while longer intervals such as five or seven minutes would be more restrictive than necessary.