ATC start-up clearance

[ScandinavianFlyer]

Hi,

At some airports that have a specific Delivery frequency, I've heard it common to just request the IFR clearance to you destination. And in that case, ATC might sometimes answer with start-up approved, and as far as I'm aware that only means that they have opened the flightplane, and not actually that you can start the Engines?
But at some smaller Airports with no DLV frequency, it seems common to just request start-up and the clearance in the same call - and as a respone to that ATC will give you the start-up clearance, but in this case does it mean that you can start the Engines since you started of by asking for start-up?
If that is the case what is the difference, and why does some Airport prefer if you directly ask for start-up clearance, instead of start by just requesting the clearance, or is it the same thing?

[Piltdown Man]

Does it matter? Ask for start and if denied, you will be told what to do. If an airport wants a particular sequence to be followed, it will be published in their documentation. I wouldn't get too carried away by it.

PM

[Hotel Tango]

It all comes down to published local procedures. There's no hard and fast rule.

[Mooncrest]

I'll give you the Leeds Bradford (EGNM) scenario. ATC clearance is requested from Leeds Delivery. This is all that can be passed on this frequency/position as it is manned by an ATC Assistant, not a Controller. After readback, the aircraft is transferred to Leeds Tower for pushback and/or engine start (there is no GMC at Leeds Bradford).

In the event that Delivery isn't manned, Tower handles ATC clearance and this is promulgated on the ATIS.