Proposed flight plan / Expected Clearance

[drgwentzel]

Flyers,

As any pilot in the NE knows, what you file and what you get are very different. I don't know if I'm the only one, but when I am taking a long xc for the first time I file IFR. In doing this I would like to know the route I am going to get so I can flight plan, calculate fuel burn,mark my charts and pre-program my GPS.

I fly out of a small uncontrolled field and I'm usually flying into a small uncontrolled field. That means the AF/D is of little use in knowing in advance what the preferred route will be. The preferred routes in the AF/D are mostly to and from class B and C airports.

Also, a lot of small airports require void times in which you are given between 5 and 10 minutes to finish your checklist, program your GPS, mark your charts, taxi to the runway, do your runup and configure the plane for take-off. Ths is a large workload to manage and can be reduced dramaticly by knowing the route that you will get in your clearance.

A service I wish they provided at FSS's is allowing us to file a "proposed" flight plan and be given an "expected" clearance.

This idea might be moot for those in the western states or areas of sparse air traffic, but what the thoughts from our NE xc fliers.

Gene - N14

 

[nyoung]

Flightaware.com will sometimes provide an expected route after you file. The couple times I have checked this... indeed, it was the route I received.

Might be worth a look.

Flyers,

As any pilot in the NE knows, what you file and what you get are very different. I don't know if I'm the only one, but when I am taking a long xc for the first time I file IFR. In doing this I would like to know the route I am going to get so I can flight plan, calculate fuel burn,mark my charts and pre-program my GPS.

I fly out of a small uncontrolled field and I'm usually flying into a small uncontrolled field. That means the AF/D is of little use in knowing in advance what the preferred route will be. The preferred routes in the AF/D are mostly to and from class B and C airports.

Also, a lot of small airports require void times in which you are given between 5 and 10 minutes to finish your checklist, program your GPS, mark your charts, taxi to the runway, do your runup and configure the plane for take-off. Ths is a large workload to manage and can be reduced dramaticly by knowing the route that you will get in your clearance.

A service I wish they provided at FSS's is allowing us to file a "proposed" flight plan and be given an "expected" clearance.

This idea might be moot for those in the western states or areas of sparse air traffic, but what the thoughts from our NE xc fliers.

Gene - N14

 

[Everskyward]

Flightaware.com will sometimes provide an expected route after you file. The couple times I have checked this... indeed, it was the route I received.

There is also a feature on Flightaware where you can set it up to send a text message with your routing. You set it up based on N-number, though so if you are not the only one who flies the airplane you need to turn it on and off as needed unless you care where the plane is going when you are not flying it.

 

[AdamZ]

Gene, Flying out of Wings we are basically in the same situation. We can't even get PHILLY APP from the ground on the radio we have to call on the phone. what I do works pretty well. I file my plan then wait about 10 minutes and call Philly on the phone and ask for a Hold for Release Clearance. They give me my clearance on the phone then I hang up set my GPS or what ever often I call from the FBO so I haven't even cranked it the engine over yet. Then after I've taxied to the departure end I call back Philly on my cell and ask them for my Release for the clearance they have already given me. Zip Zap I'm usually off with in a minute after that.

 

[wsuffa]

There is also a feature on Flightaware where you can set it up to send a text message with your routing. You set it up based on N-number, though so if you are not the only one who flies the airplane you need to turn it on and off as needed unless you care where the plane is going when you are not flying it.

That works pretty well for me. Doesn't cover the in-flight reroutes, but worked great on my last long IFR trip.

 

[sba55]

Also, a lot of small airports require void times in which you are given between 5 and 10 minutes to finish your checklist, program your GPS, mark your charts, taxi to the runway, do your runup and configure the plane for take-off.

Actually, it's somewhat worse in the West because preferred routings aren't published or aren't followed. I use FltPlan.com, which gives you expected routes pretty reliably.

I'd also suggest shortening the time you spend on the ground after you receive your clearance. When I call FSS/Tracon/Whatever, I'm usually ready to go, meaning that I'll have taxied to the runway and configured my plane for takeoff (I don't waste my time with a runup, which doesn't accomplish anything - if you do, then I'd do that before, too). This means that when I get the clearance, I only need 30 seconds. First waypoint into the GPS, altitude pre-select, review the clearance, and off.

Alternatively, at a big airport, I get ready on the ramp, call CD, then either taxi and have someone else setup the GPS or just set up the first waypoint on the ramp. 2000' before reaching the runway I call for takeoff, and then there's no need to even stop.

-Felix

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

There is also a feature on Flightaware where you can set it up to send a text message with your routing.

Someone help me find?
Under Manage my alerts, I see
Event Description Enabled Filed Departure Arrival Diverted Cancelled Actions

(nothing about routing.)

 

[Everskyward]

Someone help me find?
Under Manage my alerts, I see
Event Description Enabled Filed Departure Arrival Diverted Cancelled Actions

(nothing about routing.)

You need to check "enabled" and "filed"... unless you want a text message for all those other actions.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

I have checked them. And I get messages indicating the events.

Were you not saying I could get a text indicating what routing to expect when I call for clearance??

Apologies for my lack of clarity.

 

[poadeleted20]

What Adam said -- call for your clearance, and tell them you'll be ready in 20 minutes. They'll give you your route clearance with a "hold for release" and tell you to call back when you're ready to launch. Call them on the cell when you're #1 for the runway with the route loaded in the GPS and your run-up complete, and get a short void time to launch.

 

[Everskyward]

I have checked them. And I get messages indicating the events.

Were you not saying I could get a text indicating what routing to expect when I call for clearance??

Apologies for my lack of clarity.

Don't you get a message that looks like this? The route is in parenthesis.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Don't you get a message that looks like this? The route is in parenthesis.

Nope.
Maybe its my phone carrier?

 

[taters]

You need to check "enabled" and "filed"... unless you want a text message for all those other actions.

Fltplan.com also has this feature. It will text your actual clearance to you before you wake up in the morning.

 

[Everskyward]

Nope.
Maybe its my phone carrier?

Hmmm... I can't explain that one. My carrier is AT&T since it is an iPhone. The only reason it says "Rogers" in the picture is because I just did the screen shot now and I am in Canada. However, I got the text while I was still in the US.

 

[Everskyward]

Fltplan.com also has this feature. It will text your actual clearance to you before you wake up in the morning.

Haha, I have noticed that. I have tried the Flightplan.com texting feature too but for whatever reason I prefer the format of FlightAware. I still use Flightplan.com for flight planning, though.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Hm Im on fltplan, maybe I will try theirs for a while.

 

[Ted]

Generally I'll look at fltplan.com to see what routes they have. If a route has been used a bunch of times by similar aircraft, then chances are it's what you'll get if you ask for it.

As to how I pick up my clearance, I'll file my flight plans before getting to the airport (sometimes a day or two before if I have a whole round of trips and I know what I'm going to want to do). If it's an uncontrolled field, I'll fire up the engines and call to get the clearance, so when they ask when I'm ready to go the answer is "Now". Even if it's a whole new routing, I can at least get the first waypoint in and continue programming it in once I'm in the air.

If you aren't comfortable with that, Adam's method is fine. I try to have more than 10 minutes between filing and calling, though. If they change your clearance, the less time they have the more likely it's going to be one you don't like.

 

[ScottM]

As any pilot in the NE knows, what you file and what you get are very different.

Is what you get often times always the same? It seems to me that there are routes between airport pairs or just to get you out of airspace that are programed into ATC's computer and no matter what you file you will get that. I learned to start filing pretty much what I expected the computer to give me.

Flightaware.com will sometimes provide an expected route after you file. The couple times I have checked this... indeed, it was the route I received.

I 2nd this. I use this flightaware function as well. It makes programming the GPS a lot easier and reduces my workload right after take off.

 

[nyoung]

Also - I was wondering . For your area... are the initial assigned routes semi-random? Or are they static if you are headed in the same direction?

Chicago Approach's seem to be static.

For example (a couple off the top of my head)...

1. Leaving 3CK to the West, I always get assigned SIMMN intersection.
2. Returning, from the South/Southwest, I always get PLANO.

Flyers,

As any pilot in the NE knows, what you file and what you get are very different.

 

[vontresc]

I noticed a new feature on DUATS last night. They will also send you an acknowlegement of your flight plan via email. The option can be selected at the bottom of the flflight plan form.

I don't know if it sends you the routing or not as I filed KMSN-KMSN for local approaches.

 

[ScottM]

Also - I was wondering . For your area... are the initial assigned routes semi-random? Or are they static if you are headed in the same direction?

Chicago Approach's seem to be static.

For example (a couple off the top of my head)...

1. Leaving 3CK to the West, I always get assigned SIMMN intersection.
2. Returning, from the South/Southwest, I always get PLANO.

Yep to the west the exit route is SIMMN. I always get climb to 3000 on a heading of 180 no matter what direction I file. I will then get turned to the exit fix. For heading south and east from 3ck and 10C that fix will be radar vectors to EON.