non-airways IFR flight plans

[FullyFlapped]

Can someone advise please ?

I've only ever filed VFR flight plans, although I've verbally requested IFR departures and arrivals from Class D airports on lots of occasions (I have an IMCR, no IR just yet!)

I'd like to try and avoid imposing extra work on my local ATC by just requesting yet another "non-standard IFR departure heading 180 degrees climbing to 4000 feet" etc etc, and so I'd like to know how to file an IFR flightplan.

My problem is that I'm not sure how to describe my route : obviously I don't fly in airways, and often use tracks which only reference VORs etc (bearing/distance) rather than fly between them, and there are no other designators to be used.

So how do I file a plan which encapsulates a route such as

"departure-airport DCT some-VRP DCT 15-miles-west-of-XXX-VOR DCT transit-some-class-D-zone DCT some-other-sirport-overhead DCT etc etc until-I-request-IFR-join-at-destination" ?

Also, how to encode altitudes which, whilst they might comply with quadrantals, tend to vary quite a lot to avoid airways etc ?

Hope this makes sense ! Don't understand why this wasn't covered during IMC training as I'm sure it must happen a lot ... or are we not supposed to try and do this without a full IR, and therefore in airways ?

Thanks for any help !

FF :ok:

[Chilli Monster]

I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Off airways flight plans are only received by the departure and destination airfields - none of the units in between will ever see it.

If you want to file a plan then:

Route: Any VOR or standard 5 letter IFR reporting point can be used. In addition specific locations not covered by the above can be designated by a 6 figure radial and distance from a nearby VOR (e,g TNT060013 - TNT 060 radial 13 miles). That's probably the easiest way to designate them, putting DCT (Direct) between each point

Levels: Initial level goes in the box after speed, either as an altitude (A024 - 2400ft) or as a Flight level (F075 - FL75). If your level changes significantly at any point of the flight then you put a "/" after the relevant reporting point or position followed by the new level.

To be honest, if it's a non-standard, IFR departure from your home airfield then phone them as part of the booking out process and tell them. I was in a similar situation at Manchester last year (IMC not IR holder at the time). I filed an off airways flight plan, using off airways levels to get outside CAS before climbing. However - their automated Flight Plan system (nobody physically read the plan) gave me a SID and treated me as a normal airways departure - with an airways routeing!

Needless to say it had been a total waste of time so I cancelled it and left the zone VFR! ;)

[FullyFlapped]

Thanks Chilli, excellent info and much appreciated !

Can I ask though, if none of the units along the route receive the IFR plan, what's the situation regarding ATC coverage ? Do I still get handed over from unit to unit as I presume you do with an on-airways route, or is it a case that (as is usual with VFR departures from my home airport) once I'm clear of their zone it's down to me to get hold of, eg, a RIS from somewhere ?

Cheers,

FF :ok:

[Chilli Monster]

If you're IFR then you should be asked "what type of service on leaving CAS". If it's a radar service (RAS/RIS) then they should endeavour to hand you off to an adjacent unit (either LARS or otherwise). If they don't then it's a pretty poor effort by them (unless it's the weekend and there isn't one within 40 miles).

[411A]

Request from the tower a IFR climb to VFR on top, and at many stations, that's exactly what you get...no muss, no fuss.
OR, request tower enroute IFR routing between two stations, where there is an agreement in place for same (many in California/Florida...and others) where you receive a complete IFR routing without having to file, just a tower request.
OR, at some locations, IFR is possible with a simple filing, and once you leave controlled airspace, (out west mostly) you're on your own, for separation...using the 'big sky' principle.

Hey, make the system work for you...it is there free of charge, for your use, in America.
Europeans however, in their home airspace must pay, and pay...and pay some more.
Silly fools, to let this happen.:yuk:

[FullyFlapped]

Silly fools, to let this happen.
And this from a nation that once voted in Dan Quayle as the second-most powerful man in the country .... :p

[almost professional]

sorry Chilli-but not everyone has the time to hand every a/c receiving a radar service over to the next unit-in a perfect world yes!

[foghorn]

Request from the tower a IFR climb to VFR on top, and at many stations, that's exactly what you get...no muss, no fuss.
<snip> OR, at some locations, IFR is possible with a simple filing, and once you leave controlled airspace, (out west mostly) you're on your own, for separation...using the 'big sky' principle.

Oddly enough, that's mostly what happens to GA IFR in the UK. So much for us backward Europeans. What you're seeing here is minor gripes about the odd occasion when the system doesn't work properly.

[411A]

Hmmm,
I expect however that you still must actually pay for the privilege. :p :p :}

[cortilla]

can't remember what the weight is, but i thought below a certain weight we don't pay anything (and this encapsulates most light singles and twins) might be wrong. though if new regs go through, we'll be paying for every single flight whether or not we use a service.

[DFC]

Of course everything in America is for free.

Hey, they simply print more money to pay the controllers every month!

Perhaps that is why we can nearly now get 2$ for every 1£. :D

-----

There is an AIC that explains exactly how to fill in the flight plan. It is also included in the Aerad and Jeppesen manuals.

However, while using VOR radial/distance was the rage until some years ago, now that you most probably have a GPS, you can define the turn points and change of level/speed points as lat/long.........although ATC find it easier if you use VOR or NDM related references!

As for changes of level;

DCT ABC/N0140A030 DCT DEF090015/N0140F045 DCT PLACE/N0140A024VFR

reads direct to abc where the level will change to 3000ft and then dire3ct to the DEF 090 radial at 15nm where the level will change to FL45 then direct to PLACE where the level will change to 2400ft and the flight rules will be VFR.

Regards,

DFC

[foghorn]

I expect however that you still must actually pay for the privilege.

Currently, under 2 tonnes MTOW, no. Nor does the UK government want to charge in this weight bracket.

However they don't get much say now that UK airspace is becoming a part of the grand Euro-sky-thingy, so we may see charges in the future :yuk: