Longest "direct to" clearance given question?

[Julian Hensey]

Simple question. Early hours of the morning working upper FIR in the UK, what is the longest "direct to" clearance you have ever given? I may have misheard but is it possible to give a clearance straight through to Edinburgh from the south coast of UK ?

J

[tom775257]

I've been given direct from somewhere just north of Manchester to one of the northern French waypoints, OKASI or something - middle of the night though.

The best I have heard of is after the world cup in 1998 when France won, one of our captains congratulated the French controller (in French) and asked for a direct routing. He was given Paris to Malta direct, the controller apparently sorted it out with every sector. Nice one!

[luvly jubbly]

It's not only possible, it's quite frequent at night. Been cleared lots of times from mid Channel direct to 8 mile final at Glasgow. (Occasionally it's amended nearer to the destination.)

Once got a clearance from near Prague (VARIK I think) direct to Newcastle. I'm sure there are longer ones around though. I have heard its quite common to get a direct to Orlando from overhead St John's, however some FMC fits struggle to cope with legs longer than 1000nm.

[Bus14]

15 or so years ago one of my airline's aircraft entered UK airspace from France late on New Years eve en-route to Glasgow. Upon enquiring about direct routing he was informed that his was the only aircraft receiving an ATC service in the UK and he could go via any route he liked.

On another occasion I entered the Miami FIR from Cuban airspace. An inquiry about direct routing led to the reply' Hey fella, just give me the Lat and Long or identifier, and you can go there'

[pdcta]

Usually we have "night agreements" with our neighbors.
Everybody everywhere, at any altitude, without coordination (only if scretch someone else FIR boundary).

[Life's a Beech]

Got a direct Vesta (VES in Denmark) from somewhere in Belgium yesterday morning at about half past midnight zulu. The track crossed 4 different FIRs.

[SFCC]

Brindisi direct BHX (EGBB).

And it more or less worked out like that too.

[skiesfull]

1986 - from west of Las Vegas, direct to the Bangor (Maine) VOR.
1990 - from just east of LAX, direct to London (unfortunately turned out to be London - Ontario and not LHR as we had requested!).

[niknak]

Many years ago, I cheated on a girlfriend and she told me to go to Hell, we were in Brussels at the time, not sure of the direct track distance.

[OMRK]

Many years ago, I cheated on a girlfriend and she told me to go to Hell, we were in Brussels at the time, not sure of the direct track distance.

Not too far I am affraid. It is a small town just outside Trondheim in Norway, at appx 63.26.40 North, 10.54.14 East. (not sure what the track is either, but you should be able to figure it out).
And they even have their own Gods Expedition there (Gods mean Cargo in Norwegian.)

[Bagheera]

A long time ago when training at LATCC, my trainer asked a just airborne, Hong Kong bound, BA 747 if his fancy new FMS could work out a heading for the checker board at kai tak. Some time later the pilot came back with a heading so we locked him on it, co-ordinated with maastrict and sent him on his way. Always wondered if he managed to stay locked on all the way and just how accurate it would have been.

[Geezers of Nazareth]

Xmas day, many, many years ago. An Iberia flight climbing out from London ... chopped from the Tower freq to the departure freq and 'checked in'. Iberia flight was given a climb and single turn, and then about one minute later was 'cleared direct Barcelona'.

[Frunobulax]

@ Geezers...
Few years ago LOT 767 was making quite a sharp turn just after departure from Warsaw to JFK. ATR pilot on the frequency: "Go for it guys, next turn in 8 hours"

[Max Angle]

Some time later the pilot came back with a heading so we locked him on it,

Unfortunately, as I am sure he was aware, that heading would not have got him to the checker board at Kai Tak. The initial heading would have been about 050 and the final heading at the end of great circle more like 150, nice try though.

[terrain safe]

Ryanair just out of SS when Ireland were playing Italy in the 1994 World cup was passing 2000' when given direct Dub at about 7:30 in the evening. I believe he didn't climb very well but went very fast!

[Bullethead]

Back around 1986 we were flying a RAAF B707 from Hickham AFB, Honolulu to Andrews AFB near Washington DC, about ten and a half hours worth, and were approaching the California coast and centre asked if we were INS equipped. We replied affirm and were then cleared present position direct Andrews VOR. Nearly five hours and 2200nms later we landed at Andrews AFB.

Regards,
BH.

[wileydog3]

Out of KLAX one night on a red eye and as soon as I went to departure they cleared me direct to the outer marker 36L at KCLT.

[Davanian]

Late 1980's clearances from about 30nm YSSY DCT KLAX were reasonably common. Only involved coordination with Fiji and Oakland centre. And would have been ammended as done on INS.

[av8boy]

On a redeye fam flight 25+ years ago out of Miami for KLAX, "fly heading 290 vector to Hector... (when able direct...)" 2250 SM or so away.

Nice.

Dave

[West Coast]

"fly heading 290 vector to Hector"

So.....you got to talk to the Hector sector vector director now did ya??