Definition
An Obstacle Departure Procedure published in written, narrative form rather than as a charted graphic. Textual ODPs appear in the front section of the Terminal Procedures Publication (TPP) under the heading 'Takeoff Minimums and (Obstacle) Departure Procedures' and describe the required climb gradient, headings, altitudes, and turn instructions in plain text.
Plain English
An ODP that is written out as instructions in words instead of being drawn on a chart. You read it like a paragraph and follow the steps it tells you to fly after takeoff to stay clear of obstacles.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter textual ODPs during preflight planning for an instrument departure, especially when checking the departure procedures section for the airport.
Derivation
Textual' comes from the Latin textus, meaning 'something woven' and later 'written words.' It signals that the procedure is conveyed entirely through written instructions, in contrast to a graphic ODP, which is conveyed through a chart.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots must recognize when they are expected to follow written steps rather than a picture so they can brief and fly the correct path for safe obstacle avoidance.
Intuition Check
Textual does not mean informal, less important, or optional. It means the ODP is published in written instructions rather than as a graphic chart.
Example Sentence 1
Before departing the non-towered airport at night, the pilot checked the front of the TPP and found a textual ODP requiring a climb to 2,000 feet on runway heading before turning on course.
Example Sentence 2
Because the airport had no graphical ODP, the pilot used the textual ODP listed in the Terminal Procedures Publication.