What does MOCA guarantee along the route to ensure safety?

MOCA, or Minimum Obstacle Clearance Altitude, guarantees specific levels of obstacle clearance along a route, ensuring that aircraft maintain sufficient altitude to avoid any potential terrain or obstacles. Specifically, MOCA guarantees obstacle clearance by a minimum of 1000 feet in non-mountainous terrain and 2000 feet in mountainous areas. This standard ensures a safe vertical distance between the aircraft and any obstacles within the defined area of the route.

This safety measure is critical for maintaining a buffer that helps prevent collisions with unforeseen obstacles, particularly when following established airways and routes where the terrain may vary significantly. Understanding MOCA is essential for pilots and air traffic controllers to ensure the safe navigation of aircraft, particularly in areas where ground elevation might pose a risk. The other options do not align with the established standards of MOCA regarding obstacle clearance, which underscores why the correct response specifically emphasizes the 1000/2000 feet clearance.