How to get IFR Clearance enroute?

"Stimbo" wrote in message
om...
I, of course, know that I can simply FILE IFR from the get-go and just
not activate it until I need it.

Well, not really. If you file, you need to open at departure. Otherwise,
down the line they won't know who you are and may not go look.

However NJ to FL is a 9-hour flight
in a Cessna 172 plus 2 stops totalling 10 to 12 hours. I don't
remember how long the IFR plan stays active in the system (3 hours?)
before it's dropped. I guess this procedure makes me file every time
I make a fuel/potty stop.
No, you file all the legs at the beginning. Then open (or not) at each
departure. Works great.

I like the COMPOSITE flight plan idea. I had sorta forgotten about
it. I need to read more about it. Is this easy to
implement/activate?

I gave up on Composite plans - I'm sure they work fine though. I either
file and open at departure or file/get a clearance enroute

Yes - I should have originally stated that if VFR it would be with
Flight Following. That's too long of a flight without help of some
kind - especially these days (TFR's etc.)

True. But they will let you wander into active MOAs on occassion. I'm
talking specifically NC to south FL.

I've done Raleigh to Miami, Key West, Tampa a number of times. If you have
the ticket, I'd file and fly IFR. Despite the fact that VFR below cloudbase
if often the best strategy in NC and SC during the summer. My experience is
that it doesn't work so well further south on long CCs. Bases too low, too
much tricky airspace, etc. Flying the cloud canyons IFR with an occassional
penetration, Cheap*******, and lots of radar advisories from the very
experienced FL controllers has worked best for me.

BTW, I fly north from Raleigh to NJ, PA, and NY. North of Richmond, the
rules change and VFR is a critical tool in good weather. Can't necessarily
make sense of that but that's my experience.

Around here, especially in SoCal, this is what I always do, I file at home, when
I get near the HEC VOR (the start of ziggy3) and if it looks like its below VFR
I call and tell them I have a ifr flight plan I would like to activate, they get
my N number, then come back with my clearance. Painless.

Maule Driver wrote:

"Stimbo" wrote in message
om...
I, of course, know that I can simply FILE IFR from the get-go and just
not activate it until I need it.

Well, not really. If you file, you need to open at departure. Otherwise,
down the line they won't know who you are and may not go look.

Stimbo wrote:

I like the COMPOSITE flight plan idea. I had sorta forgotten about

it. I need to read more about it. Is this easy to
implement/activate?

Piece of cake.

(Stimbo) wrote:
I don't remember how long the IFR plan stays active in the system (3
hours?) before it's dropped.

I think that's true once it hits the FAA computers, but if you file
through DUATS, the flight plan stays in the DUATS system until something
like 1 hour before the P-time, then it gets transmitted to the FAA. So
that may be a way around that problem.

Of course, it's utterly absurd that we should have to go to these
contortions to get flight plans in the system when we want them. We've
passed the point where desktop PC's have more memory than the FAA
computers. We're now at the point where iPods have more.

Roy Smith wrote:



Of course, it's utterly absurd that we should have to go to these
contortions to get flight plans in the system when we want them. We've
passed the point where desktop PC's have more memory than the FAA
computers. We're now at the point where iPods have more.

The FAA is out of money for modernization. They can barely keep up with
maintenance and their GIANT payroll.

They couch their failures in obtuse concepts of "performance or customer
based programs."

Meanwhile the STARS TRACON system is slowing down, the Data-Link "promise"
(first made in the early 1970s) is once again slowing down, and WAAS seems
to be going nowhere.

In that scheme of events, the processing of G/A flight plans isn't exactly
on the top of the pile. Keep in mind that the airlines and biz jets don't
have flight plan issues.~

wrote in message ...

In that scheme of events, the processing of G/A flight plans isn't exactly
on the top of the pile. Keep in mind that the airlines and biz jets don't
have flight plan issues.~


I can't recall ever having a bizjet file enroute. I'm certain I've never
had an airliner do it.

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote:


I can't recall ever having a bizjet file enroute. I'm certain I've never
had an airliner do it.

Exactly. Airline flight plans are filed by dispatchers directly into the
system. Biz jets are ground filers as well.

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message hlink.net...
wrote in message ...

In that scheme of events, the processing of G/A flight plans isn't exactly
on the top of the pile. Keep in mind that the airlines and biz jets don't
have flight plan issues.~


I can't recall ever having a bizjet file enroute. I'm certain I've never
had an airliner do it.

A few years ago an inbound Swissair or Lufthansa 747 had to divert to
Quebec city for some reason (not 9-11). It was in the news. I was
flying around Burlington Vt the next day and heard a thick germanic
accent get hold of FSS and start an airfile IFR to JFK. I still
remember him stumbling along with the slash codes and then ... souls
on board 309, fuel, 50 metric tons...and then one of the standard
arrivals to JFK from the north. He was pretty low but its a short hop
for a 747.

(Stimbo) wrote in message . com...
I, of course, know that I can simply FILE IFR from the get-go and just
not activate it until I need it.

Well, let's clarify a bit here what you can and can't readily do.

Suppose you're flying from NJ to FL and you expect to hit poor
weather about VA.

You *can* file an IFR flight plan originating from an airport,
navaid, or intersection in N. Va. Just give an estimated departure
time of approximately when you think you'll get there (+ 1/2 hr).

You *can't* file an IFR flight plan originating from NJ, and expect
to activate it in N. Va. Your flight plan will not be accessible
to controllers in N. Va until it is activated ("departed") by ATC
in NJ.

However NJ to FL is a 9-hour flight
in a Cessna 172 plus 2 stops totalling 10 to 12 hours. I don't
remember how long the IFR plan stays active in the system (3 hours?)

It varies depending upon how busy the area is. It's usually something
like 1/2 hr before to 1 hr after the estimated departure time. It might
be as long as 3 hrs in some places, or even shorter than 1 1/2 hrs if
the system is busy.

I guess this procedure makes me file every time I make a
fuel/potty stop.

Well, not necessarily. You could file all your legs at home, using
the estimated departure times you calculate from your ETEs. Just file
several flight plans.

OTOH, I get a weather briefing every time I make a fuel stop -- the
airports with the best fuel prices don't necessarily have the best
computerized wx. Once you're on the phone talking to FSS, filing
a new flight plan only adds a minute.

Thanks to SNOWBIRD (Sydney) for such great detail and your anecdotes.

You're welcome

My eventual goal is to the Bahamas.

Been there, loved it. Chicken to fly back SE since our child was
born. If you fly over 10k you can typically minimize the time
you're out of glide to a few minutes. We did the "out islands"
(Eleuthera, Harbor Island among others) and flew back from Marsh
Harbor (the busiest non-towered airport I ever encountered -- made
me want to kiss the next 10 ATCS I talked to). AOPA has a pretty
good package on it, and Pilot's Guide was pretty helpful.

Cheers,
Sydney

My eventual goal is to the Bahamas.

Been there, loved it. Chicken to fly back SE since our child was
born. If you fly over 10k you can typically minimize the time
you're out of glide to a few minutes. We did the "out islands"
(Eleuthera, Harbor Island among others) and flew back from Marsh
Harbor (the busiest non-towered airport I ever encountered -- made
me want to kiss the next 10 ATCS I talked to). AOPA has a pretty
good package on it, and Pilot's Guide was pretty helpful.

Cheers,
Sydney

Sydney:

Well.... I guess I picked the "busiest non-towered" airport for my
first Bahamas experience. I'll be staying 5 days at Abaco Beach
Resort at Marsh Harbor in mid-July. Downloaded the AOPA package.
Bought the 2004 Pilot's Guide. Got my Customs sticker. Made plenty
of copies of all forms. I'm psyched! The Pilot's Guide even got me a
good pilot's discount! Paid for the book and more. Plan to fly
10-12K as you said. However, it sure takes a long time for a 172 to
get that high in July. ;^)

Stimbo
Medford, NJ