IFR Slot departures?

[tonycondon]

OK Im glad that we called ahead to the FBO at South Bend for tomorrow, because they alerted that we would need an IFR slot for departure. I got a slot for 2315Z which is the closest to our planned 2330Z departure time. My question:

Passengers are always late. Im going to be pushing them just to be ready to go by 2330. Whats the fudge factor built into the slot system? If I call Clearance Delivery by 2315 is that good enough or do i have to be ready to go by then?

 

[KennyFlys]

The page doesn't address your question but if you made the reservation more than 24 hours prior, there's a possibility it was cancelled. Those made less than 24 hours are automatically considered confirmed.

There are a couple numbers at the bottom for more information.
http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraffic/air_traffic/publications/notices/2008-08-28/SP08028.cfm

The reservation system will be available 24 hours a day. Reservations should be made using the automated interfaces. The Airport Reservation Office at (703) 904-4452 is available for technical difficulties. For general information regarding the STMP, please contact Chicago ARTCC TMU at 630-906-8342.

 

[tonycondon]

I just made the reservation, its confirmed

 

[HPNPilot1200]

OK Im glad that we called ahead to the FBO at South Bend for tomorrow, because they alerted that we would need an IFR slot for departure. I got a slot for 2315Z which is the closest to our planned 2330Z departure time. My question:

Passengers are always late. Im going to be pushing them just to be ready to go by 2330. Whats the fudge factor built into the slot system? If I call Clearance Delivery by 2315 is that good enough or do i have to be ready to go by then?

Slots are valid from :00-:59 past the hour in which it was requested, (i.e. 1345Z request is valid from 1300-1359Z). IOW, you can pick it up late (until 59 past the hour), but not before the hour. We have to request ARO slots quite often at work when we have trips into LGA.

 

[tonycondon]

thanks jason!

 

[KennyFlys]

Slots are valid from :00-:59 past the hour in which it was requested, (i.e. 1345Z request is valid from 1300-1359Z). IOW, you can pick it up late (until 59 past the hour), but not before the hour. We have to request ARO slots quite often at work when we have trips into LGA.

So, to interpret this... for a 13:45Z slot, if you haven't received your clearance for departure by 13:59Z, you've lost the slot? That leaves 14 minutes grace.

 

[HPNPilot1200]

thanks jason!

No problem, anytime.

So, to interpret this... for a 13:45Z slot, if you haven't received your clearance for departure by 13:59Z, you've lost the slot? That leaves 14 minutes grace.

Correct. That's why we request the earliest slot of the hour if at all possible, so we have 59 minutes to work with, and not something like 14 as you pointed it. If you lose it, you have to get a new slot all together.

 

[poadeleted20]

If they're running late and won't be there until after the end of the slot hour, you can call the slot number and try to get a new slot for the next hour. However...

Given that the Michigan-ND kickoff is 3:30 pm EDT, the game should be over about 7:00 pm EDT (2300Z) and the 24Z hour slots are probably all taken already. If your pax are late, slot or no slot, you are going to be buried in the post-game rush. If they aren't going to the game, remind them of that so they get there on time. If they are going to the game, there's nothing you can do about it -- you'll get in the queue and wait your turn; you'll get out when you get out, and not a second before.

 

[poadeleted20]

Someone on the Purple board mentioned that Indiana is on EDT. In that case, with the game ending at or after 7:00 pm local (and NBC-televised games tend to run long), you don't have a chance in Hades of being airborne before your slot hour ends.

 

[tonycondon]

as posted on purple:

the trip was a blast. weather was interesting in the morning with a line of rain to break through (thanks Ike), so we lost one passenger. worked out good for me as that meant there was an extra ticket so i went to the game with the guys. tailgating was fun and we had great seats on the 20 yd line. weather was nice for first half. most of my guys were michigan fans though and the game wasnt going very well for them. 3rd quarter was solid rain and we all were soaked. between losing, the rain, and the slot time we left at the beginning of the 4th quarter and made our time perfectly. good thing too cause headwinds on the way back were hellish. groundspeed on climbout averaged 80 knots!

weather was the same system but not as bad on the way home, and once we got into Iowa it was sever clear night flying. Des Moines was in sight 80 miles out. I heard Bruce's tail number on Chicago Center and told the lady to tell him hello, not sure if she actually did so. all in all, a great day.

 

[HPNFlyGirl]

Sounds like a nice day Tony....but I have to ask....What were you flying a 172?

 

[flyingcheesehead]

weather was interesting in the morning with a line of rain to break through (thanks Ike), so we lost one passenger.

As in, they decided that they didn't want to fly in that weather? Or did they just not want to be at the game in the rain?

 

[Ted]

weather was the same system but not as bad on the way home, and once we got into Iowa it was sever clear night flying. Des Moines was in sight 80 miles out. I heard Bruce's tail number on Chicago Center and told the lady to tell him hello, not sure if she actually did so. all in all, a great day.

I was tracking you on FlightAware, and it looked like some interesting weather for your trip. I also saw the hellish headwinds, with you tracking ground speeds that should be seen in a 172.

I had some headwinds in the Mooney coming home yesterday, about 20-30 kts, bu it looked like you were fighting more in the 40 range.

Sounds like it was a fun day! Just as well I didn't go if there wouldn't have been an extra ticket for me, I flew some friends down to Ocean City, MD and that was fun. Gave them some experience flying in a Mooney.

 

[tonycondon]

Sounds like a nice day Tony....but I have to ask....What were you flying a 172?

no, the 421.

As in, they decided that they didn't want to fly in that weather? Or did they just not want to be at the game in the rain?

yea the guy who bailed is a long time pilot and was confident that the weather was fly-able, but he didnt want to sit in the rain at the game. it was a good thing he was confident the weather was flyable or i think we would've been two short, one of his kids was a little nervous about the fact that dad wasnt coming.

we had a good time at the tailgate and during the first half giving him a hard time about how nice the weather was. then it started downpouring.

 

[bbchien]

as posted on purple:

the trip was a blast. weather was interesting in the morning with a line of rain to break through (thanks Ike), so we lost one passenger. worked out good for me as that meant there was an extra ticket so i went to the game with the guys. tailgating was fun and we had great seats on the 20 yd line. weather was nice for first half. most of my guys were michigan fans though and the game wasnt going very well for them. 3rd quarter was solid rain and we all were soaked. between losing, the rain, and the slot time we left at the beginning of the 4th quarter and made our time perfectly. good thing too cause headwinds on the way back were hellish. groundspeed on climbout averaged 80 knots!

weather was the same system but not as bad on the way home, and once we got into Iowa it was sever clear night flying. Des Moines was in sight 80 miles out. I heard Bruce's tail number on Chicago Center and told the lady to tell him hello, not sure if she actually did so. all in all, a great day.

Between Peoria and Macomb it was solid crud. My younger daughter made an 8 hour trip home to have lunch with a HS friend who was not doing quite so well and was home for the weekend.

Twice in and out- the first time MQB was in the middle of a downpour, vis dropped from airport seen on the LOC 5 miles out to .....just about going missed, saw the numbers, slipped it in from 1000 msl, loaded daughter on the right side door, with right engine shutdown, left still turning, and got out.

Today I went out to refuel the bird. Got soaked even under the umbrella. Sigh.