Clearance Delivery

[HOTDOG]

When at a small airport with no ground control, tower or clearance delivery frequencies, how does one get their IFR clearance?

[TFaudree_ERAU]

A couple of ways to do it:
1) Call FSS on the phone or radio. They will phone the local control agency and relay your clearance
2) Remote Communications Outlet. You key your mic a specific number of times and it connects you to the local control agency through a landline. Almost like making a phone call from your airplane radio
3) Call the local control agency themselves. AOPA has a listing of all the towers in the US. If you are flying in, knowing you won't be able to reach ATC on the radio when you're ready to depart again, ask the approach controller for the phone number to call when you're ready to pick up your outbound clearance.
4) If the weather is VMC and company policy allows it, depart VFR and pick up your IFR in the air. Might not be a great idea if you aren't able to handle a high workload though.

[mnixon]

Originally Posted by TFaudree_ERAU

A couple of ways to do it:
1) Call FSS on the phone or radio. They will phone the local control agency and relay your clearance
2) Remote Communications Outlet. You key your mic a specific number of times and it connects you to the local control agency through a landline. Almost like making a phone call from your airplane radio
3) Call the local control agency themselves. AOPA has a listing of all the towers in the US. If you are flying in, knowing you won't be able to reach ATC on the radio when you're ready to depart again, ask the approach controller for the phone number to call when you're ready to pick up your outbound clearance.
4) If the weather is VMC and company policy allows it, depart VFR and pick up your IFR in the air. Might not be a great idea if you aren't able to handle a high workload though.

One thing to add. Call only when #1 at the runway. If your behind someone and get cleared out, it could get sticky.

[Tiger815]

Your airport facilites directory will have the number for the local ARTCC you can call directly or you can call FSS. Lockmart has a new central number you can use. 888-766-8267. I haven't tried it yet but this topic came up on another list I'm on and a PIC Instrument instructor shared this.

[BajtheJino]

Originally Posted by Tiger815

a PIC Instrument instructor

Well.

[HOTDOG]

Thanks for your assistance!

[moxiepilot]

Originally Posted by mnixon

One thing to add. Call only when #1 at the runway. If your behind someone and get cleared out, it could get sticky.

The other way to do it is in this situation where you need a short delay, as you pick up your clearance, tell them you need a delay in release time of XX minutes. Then you will get:

Current time (start your stopwatch)
Release time (xx minutes from current time)
Void time
Call back time.

[TFaudree_ERAU]

Originally Posted by mnixon

One thing to add. Call only when #1 at the runway. If your behind someone and get cleared out, it could get sticky.

When I pick up an IFR on the ground at a non-towered airport, the controller specifically says "...readback correct, advise me when you're number one for the runway for your release."

A good controller should never release an airplane until he is sure the airplane is in a position to make an immediate take off. I have seen some operators sitting on the ramp with a GPU still hooked up, with the copilot sitting in the right seat picking up the clearance, and the captain is still inside in the pilot lounge taking a nap. Thats not necessarily when the controller should release the flight.

[minitour]

Originally Posted by TFaudree_ERAU

When I pick up an IFR on the ground at a non-towered airport, the controller specifically says "...readback correct, advise me when you're number one for the runway for your release."

A good controller should never release an airplane until he is sure the airplane is in a position to make an immediate take off. I have seen some operators sitting on the ramp with a GPU still hooked up, with the copilot sitting in the right seat picking up the clearance, and the captain is still inside in the pilot lounge taking a nap. Thats not necessarily when the controller should release the flight.

While I'd agree with your opinion, I've had situations where controllers don't tell me to call them when I'm number one. Instead, they issue a void time.

For this reason, I now only call when I'm at the end of the runway. I don't want to be released only to be sitting there for 5 minutes running a checklist while someone holds in ice over the marker because they can't get in until I'm out. It isn't just the guys trying to get out that you're keeping on the ground, you're also keeping guys in the air...one in, one out.

-mini

[Cheechako]

Sometimes waiting to call for clearance at the end of the runway will burn you.

It was a snowy winter day in Kalispell, Montana. We deiced with Type I (50/50 mix of glycol and hot water, time of application to takeoff about 15 minutes max). At the end of the runway we called for our clearance. Unable to be released, there was an airplane 15 miles out on the approach. We had to go back to the gate and get deiced again. Had we called center before deicing the first time, we could have held off 10-15 minutes before heading out to the end of the runway.

[mtsu_av8er]

Originally Posted by minitour

While I'd agree with your opinion, I've had situations where controllers don't tell me to call them when I'm number one. Instead, they issue a void time.

To prevent this situation, I call for the clearance and end the transmission with " . . . and we'll be ready for departure in about 20 minutes". That usually clears up any confusion.

For this reason, I now only call when I'm at the end of the runway.

That's not always a very efficient was to do things, though.