What must the student do before leaving sector 66?

Moving the aircraft to an appropriate altitude is essential before leaving sector 66 because this procedure ensures the safe and orderly transition of air traffic between sectors. Maintaining proper altitude not only promotes safety but also aligns with air traffic control protocols. Each sector has specific altitude assignments to manage traffic effectively and reduce the risk of midair collisions. Transitioning aircraft to an appropriate altitude ensures that the following sector can manage the incoming traffic safely within their designated airspace.

Gathering all flight data is an important task but typically happens as a part of standard operating procedures and may not be the first priority immediately before leaving a sector. Informing the next sector of the aircraft is also critical, but achieving an appropriate altitude is a prerequisite to ensure they can safely manage the aircraft. Recording the actions taken is an administrative task that may be completed at a later time and is not as urgent as ensuring the aircraft is at a safe altitude before transferring control.