Departure and Approach Procedures (DAP)

The Departure and Approach Procedures (DAP) is a comprehensive set of instrument flight rule (IFR) charts used by pilots for terminal operations.

While the ERSA tells you what is at an airport, the DAP tells you how to arrive and depart safely using instruments.

Updated every 12 weeks via the AIRAC cycle.
Available as a complete text with binder, text only and the amendments.

Because the document is massive, Airservices Australia splits it into two geographical volumes: DAP East and DAP West.

Geographical Coverage

The split is designed to keep the physical binders manageable for cockpit use:

• DAP East: Covers New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (QLD), Victoria (VIC), Tasmania (TAS), and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).

• DAP West: Covers Western Australia (WA), South Australia (SA), and the Northern Territory (NT).

Core Components

Each volume contains several types of specialized aeronautical charts:

• Aerodrome Charts: Highly detailed "bird's eye" views of the airport, including runway lengths, lighting types, and parking bay locations.

• SIDs (Standard Instrument Departures): Coded flight paths that guide a pilot from the runway into the en-route structure.

• STARs (Standard Terminal Arrival Routes): Coded flight paths that transition a pilot from the en-route phase to the approach phase.

• Instrument Approach Procedures (IAPs): The "plates" used for the final descent to land, including:

  • Precision Approaches: ILS (Instrument Landing System).

  • Non-Precision Approaches: VOR, NDB, and RNP (GPS-based) approaches.

• Noise Abatement Procedures: Specific instructions to minimize noise over sensitive areas (common for major hubs like Sydney or Brisbane).