Which tool is essential for pilots to navigate an instrument departure procedure accurately?

The correct response highlights the importance of having a textual or graphic description of the instrument departure procedure. This documentation provides pilots with critical information necessary for executing the departure safely and accurately. These descriptions often include details about waypoints, altitudes, and specific routes that must be followed, ensuring that pilots adhere to standard procedures established for air traffic safety.

Without this essential information, a pilot would struggle to understand the intended path and regulatory requirements for the departure, which could lead to navigation errors.

Other options, while potentially useful in certain contexts, do not provide the comprehensive guidelines needed for following an instrument departure procedure. For instance, a GPS system may assist in navigation but would not contain the specific procedural information necessary for compliance with air traffic control instructions. A radar display is primarily a tool for enhancing situational awareness during flight and does not replace the need for following detailed procedure descriptions. Basic maps lack the precision and regulatory information that graphical or textual descriptions provide, making them inadequate for instrument departures.