In a lost communications scenario, what is the priority order for routing and altitude?

In a lost communications scenario, what is the priority order for routing and altitude?

• A. Filed route only; altitude is unchanged
• B. Last assigned route, then vectored/expected route, then filed route; last assigned altitude, then minimum IFR altitude
• C. Maintain last assigned altitude regardless of route
• D. Follow ATC hand signals only

Answer: (B)

In a lost communications situation, you follow a specific order to keep your route and altitude safe and predictable. For routing, you start with the last assignment you received from ATC. If that isn’t available anymore, you proceed with the route you were told to expect or the route you were being vectored toward. If none of those exist, you revert to the filed route you originally planned. This sequence keeps you aligned with ATC’s intended flow of traffic and minimizes confusion. For altitude, you first maintain the last assigned altitude. If continuing on the last assigned altitude won’t work with the route you’re flying, you then use the minimum IFR altitude for that route to ensure obstacle clearance. This gives you a safe floor to fly until you can reestablish communications or adjust to a new ATC instruction. Following only filed routing or changing altitude without regard to the last ATC instruction could put you out of the intended traffic flow or below safe clearance. Relying on hand signals alone isn’t a specified method for resolving lost comms, so the formal priority order is used.

In a lost communications situation, you follow a specific order to keep your route and altitude safe and predictable. For routing, you start with the last assignment you received from ATC. If that isn’t available anymore, you proceed with the route you were told to expect or the route you were being vectored toward. If none of those exist, you revert to the filed route you originally planned. This sequence keeps you aligned with ATC’s intended flow of traffic and minimizes confusion.

For altitude, you first maintain the last assigned altitude. If continuing on the last assigned altitude won’t work with the route you’re flying, you then use the minimum IFR altitude for that route to ensure obstacle clearance. This gives you a safe floor to fly until you can reestablish communications or adjust to a new ATC instruction.

Following only filed routing or changing altitude without regard to the last ATC instruction could put you out of the intended traffic flow or below safe clearance. Relying on hand signals alone isn’t a specified method for resolving lost comms, so the formal priority order is used.