When should an ODP be conducted?

• A. When no other instruction provided
• B. At any time during flight
• C. Only after ATC clearance
• D. After you pass the FAF

Answer: (A)

Obstacle Departure Procedures are the default path you follow to ensure obstacle clearance during the initial climb after takeoff. They’re designed to be flown unless air traffic control provides alternate instructions. So you conduct an ODP whenever there are no ATC instructions that supersede it. If ATC gives you a different routing or vectors, you follow those instead. ODPs apply to the departure phase, not during approach or after the FAF, and they don’t require ATC clearance to execute—they’re the standard default route unless ATC specifies otherwise.