What does Minimum Safe Altitude (MSA) provide on approach charts?

• A. 1,000 feet of obstacle clearance within a specified distance from the facility.
• B. 2,000 feet of obstacle clearance within a specified distance from the facility.
• C. 300 feet of obstacle clearance within a specified distance from the facility.
• D. 500 feet of obstacle clearance within a specified distance from the facility.

Answer: (A)

Minimum Safe Altitude provides a guaranteed obstacle clearance of 1,000 feet within a defined radius from the navigation facility on the approach chart. This means the published altitude is the minimum you can fly within that area to stay at least 1,000 feet above any obstacle in the circle surrounding the facility (typically shown as a 25-mile radius). If the highest obstacle inside that radius is, say, 5,000 feet MSL, the MSA would be 6,000 feet MSL. This protection applies only within the specified radius around the facility and is not the altitude for the entire approach or beyond that area.