When does sterile flight deck end?

When does sterile flight deck end?

• A. 10,000 feet, alerted by chimes
• B. 5,000 feet
• C. 15,000 feet
• D. When the door is opened on arrival

Answer: (A)

When you’re in the sterile flight deck period, only essential crew should be in the cockpit and conversations are kept to a minimum to reduce distractions during the most critical parts of flight. The end of this period is defined by altitude: at 10,000 feet in the climb, an audible chime signals that normal, nonessential communication may resume and the cockpit environment is no longer strictly sterile. This cue helps crew know when they can relax the strict cockpit discipline as the flight transitions past the high-risk phase. The other options don’t align with how this rule is typically defined. 5,000 feet and 15,000 feet aren’t the standard trigger for ending sterile flight deck status, and waiting until the door is opened on arrival isn’t used to mark the end of the sterile period during the flight. The end is tied to reaching 10,000 feet and the accompanying chime cue.

When you’re in the sterile flight deck period, only essential crew should be in the cockpit and conversations are kept to a minimum to reduce distractions during the most critical parts of flight. The end of this period is defined by altitude: at 10,000 feet in the climb, an audible chime signals that normal, nonessential communication may resume and the cockpit environment is no longer strictly sterile. This cue helps crew know when they can relax the strict cockpit discipline as the flight transitions past the high-risk phase.

The other options don’t align with how this rule is typically defined. 5,000 feet and 15,000 feet aren’t the standard trigger for ending sterile flight deck status, and waiting until the door is opened on arrival isn’t used to mark the end of the sterile period during the flight. The end is tied to reaching 10,000 feet and the accompanying chime cue.