What is the purpose of MEA?

The purpose of Minimum Enroute Altitude (MEA) is to assure navigation coverage and obstacle clearance along an airway. MEA provides at least 1,000 feet of vertical separation from terrain and obstacles in non-mountainous areas, and at least 2,000 feet in mountainous regions. This is crucial for maintaining safety during flight operations, as it ensures that pilots are flying at a safe altitude above obstacles, reducing the risk of mid-air collision and ensuring that navigation signals from ground-based navigational aids (NAVAIDs) are reliable.

While other altitudes serve different functions, such as the altitude necessary for optimal landing or airspeed limitations, those aspects are not the primary concern of MEA. The correct functioning of MEA plays a vital role in IFR operations, enhancing the overall safety and efficacy of air traffic management in controlled airspace.