What does MDA stand for?

What does MDA stand for?

• A. Minimum descent altitude
• B. Minimum enroute altitude
• C. Minimum crossing altitude
• D. Minimum safe altitude

Answer: (A)

MDA stands for the lowest altitude you may descend to on a non-precision (or circling) instrument approach. It’s a fixed minimum used for those approaches that don’t have a vertical guidance aid like an ILS. You descend from the final approach fix to this altitude and then level off at MDA, continuing the approach at that constant height until you either have the runway environment in sight and can land, or you reach the missed-approach point and must execute a go-around. If you don’t see the runway by the time you reach MDA, you must initiate the missed approach. This is different from the other minimums: enroute minimums (MEA) guarantee obstacle clearance along airways and navigation reception; a crossing altitude is the required height to be at when crossing a specific fix; and minimum safe altitude provides broad obstacle clearance in a region, not specifically tied to an instrument approach.

MDA stands for the lowest altitude you may descend to on a non-precision (or circling) instrument approach. It’s a fixed minimum used for those approaches that don’t have a vertical guidance aid like an ILS. You descend from the final approach fix to this altitude and then level off at MDA, continuing the approach at that constant height until you either have the runway environment in sight and can land, or you reach the missed-approach point and must execute a go-around. If you don’t see the runway by the time you reach MDA, you must initiate the missed approach.

This is different from the other minimums: enroute minimums (MEA) guarantee obstacle clearance along airways and navigation reception; a crossing altitude is the required height to be at when crossing a specific fix; and minimum safe altitude provides broad obstacle clearance in a region, not specifically tied to an instrument approach.