On RNAV SID, when departures from the same runway/helipad or parallel runways are less than 2,500 ft apart, separation is by how many miles and degrees?

• A. 2 miles; 5 degrees
• B. 0.5 mile; 20 degrees
• C. 1.5 miles; 15 degrees
• D. 1 mile; 10 degrees

Answer: (D)

When two aircraft depart from the same runway or parallel runways that are less than 2,500 feet apart on an RNAV SID, separation is managed with a combined standard: one mile of lateral separation plus a ten-degree divergence in their initial tracks. This small but deliberate angular separation allows the two aircraft to quickly move apart as they follow the published SID, maintaining safe spacing without needing large extra routes. The other options would require either more lateral distance or a larger angle than what this close-spacing scenario specifies, so they aren’t used here.