IFR Altitudes Explained | MEA MOCA & OROCA on Low Enroute Chart | Minimum Altitudes for Enroute IFR

Can you tell the difference between an MEA, MOCA, and OROCA on an IFR Enroute Chart? Let's look at the Minimum Enroute Altitude, Minimum Obstruction Clearance Altitude, Minimum Crossing Altitude, and a few other IFR altitudes you'll need to know about when flying on an Instrument flight plan.
The IFR Enroute Chart lists most of these minimum altitudes, so this guide will work through how to read all of them, and what they mean to us for flight planning.
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0:00 Intro
0:39 Minimum Obstruction Clearance Altitude (MOCA)
1:55 Minimum Enroute Altitude (MEA)
2:43 Changeover Point
4:02 GPS MEA
5:17 Minimum Reception Altitude (MRA)
6:16 MEA Changes
7:53 Minimum Crossing Altitude (MCA)
9:08 Off Route Obstruction Clearance Altitude (OROCA)
10:31 Minimum Vectoring Altitude (MVA)
12:15 Maximum Authorized Altitude (MAA)

[@shamu3838]

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[@BigSpice15]

As a brand new IFR student, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Your videos help explain everything so much better than other ones online. I hope you have nothing but success

[@russellbonds3842]

You, sir, are an AMAZING instructor!! I’ve been flying for the last 23 years and I’ve never, EVER come across someone who explains things as well as you!! Your graphics are phenomenal, too!! Thank you for making these videos available!

[@ballsweatpourhomme1606]

I swear, this is like sam harris narrating aviation tutorials. So good!

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[@flightinsight9111]

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@@flightinsight9111 First learning, than explaining, than understanding, and than learning again.

[@RizzAzka]

You provide the most comprehensive and easy to understand videos, I'm blessed to have come across this channel.

[@christophermichaelson9050]

9:40 I watched this whole video hoping I could figure out that one point; so glad you covered it!

[@flightinsight9111]

Glad you stuck around for what you were looking for!

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One of the best videos I have ever seen. Thank you

[@liliaflyingmomMD]

wow, so clear now! your videos make IFR less intimidating. amazing job. Tank you!

[@PurpleWingsaero]

Cant thank enough… have an airline exam tomorrow and i was stuck with these … wish you clear skies always…

[@vhscampos1]

Thanks for a great video. I can only imagine how much effort you put in creating these animations. It's appreciated!

[@flightinsight9111]

Thanks Jimmy! It's not as bad as it looks making these, but I appreciate the comment!

[@catdaddy8603]

After 30 years as a pilot for the government I'm finally working towards my CFII for retirement and these lessons are gold. Thank you so much.

[@flapthrottle4394]

jesus ....where have you guys been when i was studying for my EASA ATPL.... as shamu3838 said five months ago... "Best IFR training videos on the Internet hands-down"

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[@johnduffy3449]

Your IFR videos got me through instrument and now as a CFII i tell all my instrument students to watch these!

[@eightofhearts72]

this kind of video is art

[@John.Halsted]

Excellent job thank you!

[@Cosme422]

This video is great. Can’t wait to learn more. Thank you.

[@nvn25]

Great video! Presented so well! I needed brushing up and either relearned and learned a thing or two! Thank you 🙏

[@jakew9887]

Great presentation. Thanks

[@camhodge7788]

Love your work. Excellent presentations. Easy to understand, even for an Aussie pilot!

[@mahmutyuksel7480]

Thank you for great explanation.

[@hil242s]

Incredibly helpful and informational videos. Thank you for creating and explaining!

[@PShred]

I’ve been binge watching all your videos and your videos are awesome for not just refreshing on knowledge but also for training reference for students. Amazing work, keep up the work!

[@swordfishchaser7]

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[@XpLoiT671]

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These are great videos.

[@bjorn2625]

Absolutely amazing video. Super clear!!!

[@JEstrada15]

Awesome video!! The detailed visuals are always top notch. I just got through Sporty’s Instrument ground course and was a little confused with the enroute stuff… I understood this completely. Hats off to you good sir. A+ content.

[@crazyforce1102]

You are fricking amazing!

[@Felipeozzy]

These videos are gold!

[@ujd2930]

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[@19ij]

Incredibly useful video, thank you.

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[@mannymorad7629]

I learning so much from him appreciated

[@Dana_Bellamy]

FANTASTIC video! Thanks so much for making the information so simple to understand!

[@aviatewithmahrad6796]

Thanks it was very helpful

[@apbeers]

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[@dejanlekic800]

Excellent, thanks

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Amazing videooooooooo. Thank uuuuuuuuu

[@Saltlick11]

Really good.

[@mirkocirillo736]

Very helpful to student pilot also in Europe.... many thanks!

[@flightinsight9111]

Glad to hear these altitudes translate over into the European regs too. I'm woefully ignorant of IFR (or any) flight rules in Europe unfortunately.

[@stevev4057]

Clear, well paced, informative, single concept building narration. Thank you.

[@alduncine]

Your videos are great. Very detailed explanations , simple, at a pace that anyone could understand with phenomenal graphics. Thank you,

[@andreseguin5583]

I wish I had that kind of presentation when I was training for ppl and later for ATC. Well done. Thanks

[@alexx8708]

what an amazing job! you make everything so much easy to understand i really like the work you put on the animations too 10/10

[@gonetoearth2588]

These videos are excellent....great tool! thanks!!

[@flightinsight9111]

Thanks for sticking around!

[@umutgulmez83]

perfectly explained. thanx

[@rumeisamaresha4709]

Thank you!

[@alessiolucchesi814]

Thanks! Great video!😀

[@flightinsight9111]

Thanks, Alessio! Hope it was helpful

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Amazing video

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[@flightinsight9111]

Glad to hear it!

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Thanks!

[@user-ir6hi8od6x]

very useful !! i play MSF 2020 ! i need to understad this for basic flights!

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Truly the best IFR training explanations around. You’re a great teacher! Really hoping you’re putting together an IFR ground school course!

[@flightinsight9111]

Thanks for watching! There will be a full IFR ground school course coming. Look out for an announcement very, very soon!

[@selcukzengin200]

Another great video. Thx for the effort and basic illustrations. I couldn't be more appreciated. Looking forward to see this IFR charts series...

[@flightinsight9111]

Thanks Selcuk. One more on IFR charts coming this week, then I think we'll dive into SIDs and STARs in the following videos.

[@ruslanulko8195]

Thank You

[@brayancruz5866]

Amazing! Thank you so much for this video. I love my professor but having all the animations made this so much easier to understand!!!

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you have a professor teaching you to fly ?

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Ive watched quite a few of your videos now and these are insanely good, you are a gift to not only new instrument pilots such as myself but all pilots, thank you for all that you do!

[@flightinsight9111]

So glad the course has helped!

[@saiyanscript]

@@flightinsight9111 can I ask what your home state is for your airport, maybe offer some one on one instruction?

[@flightinsight9111]

I’m in Maryland. Shoot me an email at [e-mail] and I’ll see if I can help you

[@thomasyuhas]

I love the illustrations! Us visual learners really appreciate the effort you put into your graphics. The narrative is full of info that makes me go back and listen to that again!!

[@flightinsight9111]

Thanks, Tom! I'm glad the style works for you.

[@FuckFear316]

New follower here… great stuff Captain 👍🏼📚

[@flightinsight9111]

Welcome! Thanks for dropping in.

[@MrRandomsta]

Perfect explanation, could you please do a Canadian version of alternate minima calculations. I'm studying for my INRAT and this helped a whole lot!!!!

[@markweiss7715]

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[@AviAeroAsis]

Thank you. Request video for MORA and MSA as well.

[@abrahamnemani3907]

You make Tuesdays and Fridays to always look forward to for your posts. Your thoughts on VORs being dismantled and yet still used and displayed on the charts and the written test?

[@flightinsight9111]

Thanks! From my understanding and without really researching it, the VORs that are being discontinued are considered redundant in the sense that they're not part of the minimum network of VORs that allow for flight on Victor airways throughout most of the country. Even with GPS being ubiquitous, I don't think there's any rush to completely phase out VORs because of some of the vulnerabilities of the GPS network (easy to spoof, not decentralized). Also I understand that many countries that don't have their own GNSS system like GPS or Galileo aren't eager to have their only navigation system based on foreign technology!

[@dillcifer]

The area between BOY and DDY is absolutely “mountainous terrain”. This is mostly Salt Lake sector 16 , and a bit of Denver 22. The only part of salt lake artcc airspace that is not considered mountainous is over the Dakotas, sectors 17/39. One other thought concerning MVAs.. adjacent facilities do not always have the same MVAs! Similar but not same. This is common between Tracons and Centers.

[@yangojulianwuerazo4748]

Awesome video. Just one question: you said that for MRA we first intercept the point before start climbing (minute 7:00). If i do so, i wont be high enough to intercept and recognize that point

[@aramelmi1020]

Your videos are extremely well presented. When we are initially flying east to west to get to LINDE shouldn’t we be at 4000 because we’re flying east to west rather than flying at 3500?

[@Topcat1952]

Very good explanation of these kinds of altitudes. One question: I recently discovered using a Navigraph STAR chart an altitude with a "T" on the end (example 3400T below 13000). Was wondering what that means? Is that supposed to be a minimum altitude of FL340 for turbojets? Or does it mean something else? Those altitudes are in black print and separate from speed constraint in Magenta ink and altitude constraint in light blue ink. Thanks.

[@ivanpeterzell695]

Your home airport is College park, MD? The map you use looks like DC

[@jsmorrow6600]

Why do some T-Routes have MOCAs if they are GPS-based? Is it perhaps for two-way communications with ATC or radar coverage?

[@mothanna2320]

I did not get the purpose of the MRA can you explain with scenario

[@metyler2158]

In Florida where there is a lack of high terrain, V97 South of Tallahassee has a MOCA of *1400, GPS altitude of 2000/4000 and MEA of 6000/8000’. How do you explain such a high GPS altitude with such a low MOCA?

[@avee8ter]

6:43 Wouldn't I need to climb and cross at 5500 before LINDE? Thanks in advance.

[@mothanna2320]

what is the different between MORA and OROCA are they the same

[@chrisfezer882]

Great video but I have a question. You explained that the GNSS MEA allowed one to fly lower because the signal is coming from above. Why would the GPS MEA then be higher than the MOCA? Is there anything else that goes into setting that MEA? Example: V219 between HCT VOR and OBH VOR just south of KLBF, it is a the north end of chart L-10, shows a MOCA at 4500 but a GNSS MEA at 5000.

[@flightinsight9111]

Great question, it comes down to communications requirements. In the TERPS, 15-1-9 says that an MEA “will be established based upon obstacle clearance, adequacy of navigation facility performance, and communications requirements.”

[@skyking2202]

I have a question about the fix Linde at 6:40 in the video. The aircraft is westbound at 3,500, but the MRA for the off-route VOR that defines Linde is 5,500, meaning my reception of Linde is not assured. So I am assuming that if I am westbound V172, EAST of Linde, and am relying on VOR navigation (not GNSS or DME) then really, I have to already be at 5,500 well before Linde, and 3,500 would not be an appropriate altitude, correct? Does this also mean that if I didn't file /G that ATC wouldn't clear me for anything below 5,500 if I filed for this route? And would not clear me as filed if I planned 3,500 unless I had an equipment code that showed I will not be relying on VOR reception?

[@erikaasted1808]

I have this same question. Were you ever able to find an answer for this?

[@conned]

The secret is the graphics software n his deep understanding

[@Jhenryb98]

That Judas Priest reference was kind of a jump scare for me 😂

[@sharoz6300]

How are MORA and OROCA different?

[@alizain20]

IFR checkride next week and if I pass, this channel will be a huge reason for it. Thanks bud.. ADD A HELP OR DONATE BUTTON FOR US TO DONATE IN GOOD FAITH. Thanks

[@flightinsight9111]

Good luck!! Let us know how if goes. We get a lot of benefit out of sharing content for free on the channel, but do have a patreon at www.patreon.com/flightinsight1 that a few have donated to. It's also on the channel homepage.

[@johnopalko5223]

"Mea Moca Oroca" sound like it should be a spell from _Harry Potter._

[@roncasa4042]

🎈🎈👍👍😀😀

[@mishmish1968]

Great work, thanks a lot , but how can we memories all these altitudes, or it will happen by practicing reading the charts, will stick to the memory.

[@flightinsight9111]

I would prioritize getting familiar with MEA. In most cases flying at that altitude will cover you if you're flying along airways.

[@mishmish1968]

@@flightinsight9111 Thanks captain.

[@mts982]

almost makes a person not to want to fly.