Clearing somone short

ZBWPL Newcomer

Hi everyone,

Short-range clearances. Why does ATC use them? I can think of few reasons, but I would like others opinions.

Also, if I clear an aircraft "AS FILED" out of an airport with no operating control tower that does mean that he/she will proceed on course and I don't have to worry about terrain/obstructions etc because THEY filed it?

If I was to give someone a short range clearance, as long as they read it back does that mean that the pilot will accept terrain/obstruction clearance etc.? Or do I HAVE TO give the whole ?verify clearance will allow compliance with terrain?etc? If you needed them to hold in the short range clearance I am guessing you would want to have them hold AOA the MIA in that area of the holding fix correct?

Thanks,

PL

Roddy_Piper Resident Knucklehead Vegas baby

to keep them in your airspace until radar separation could be provided, to keep from "blocking" airspace that your or someone else routinely use, just to get the aircraft in the air before worrying about other issues (route, alt, active airspace, etc), proximity to other sectors, pilot filed a lame route and you plan on giving direct upon radar contract, terrain, etc. the list could be longer.

a short range clearance does not automatically put the terrain responsibility on the pilot. it's just a clearance to a limit other than requested.

if you put someone in a holding pattern you better be damn sure it meets at least one of the minimum altitudes. if it's on a DP/SID it could possibly be lower than the MIA. so to say you can't hold below an MIA is incorrect...but there NEEDS to be a legal altitude by some other means when issuing holding.

meatasaurusx Trusted Member Chi-town

the aircraft will go where atc tells them to go. we try to get aircraft direct to fixes or destinations as soon as possible to expeditiously move the traffic, but only when it is safe to do so. When an aircraft is read a clearance from an uncontrolled airport (or controlled for that matter) it is simply to give the pilot an idea of what routing to expect when talking to atc, and then what routing to follow and what altitude to maintain in the event of a nordo situation. i'm a little unclear as to what you are asking regarding terrain/obstruction clearance. When we say as filed, it only means that we didn't need to change the routing the pilot filed, so we aren't required to say the entire routing.

MikeATC Retired FAA, NATCA Member Nashville TN

Roddy couldn't had explained it any better, in essence I use the short clearance when an IFR acft is coming off a satelite airport and I want to clear the acft to an altitude and point where I can radar identify it, without the possibility of it escaping into someone else's airspace, or interfereing with other acft.

meatasaurusx Trusted Member Chi-town

got it..........

NATCA69 Newcomer USA

4-3-3. ABBREVIATED DEPARTURE CLEARANCE

a. Issue an abbreviated departure clearance if its use reduces verbiage and the following conditions are met:

REFERENCE-
FAAO JO 7110.65, Para 4-2-8, IFR‐VFR and VFR‐IFR Flights.

1. The route of flight filed with ATC has not been changed by the pilot, company, operations officer, input operator, or in the stored flight plan program prior to departure.

NOTE-
A pilot will not accept an abbreviated clearance if the route of flight filed with ATC has been changed by him/her or the company or the operations officer before departure. He/she is expected to inform the control facility on initial radio contact if he/she cannot accept the clearance. It is the responsibility of the company or operations officer to inform the pilot when they make a change.

2. All ATC facilities concerned have sufficient route of flight information to exercise their control responsibilities.

NOTE-
The route of flight information to be provided may be covered in letters of agreement.

3. When the flight will depart IFR, destination airport information is relayed between the facilities concerned prior to departure.

EXAMPLE-
1. A tower or flight service station relay of destination airport information to the center when requesting clearance:
“Request clearance for United Four Sixty‐One to O'Hare.”

2. A center relay to the tower or flight service station when initiating a clearance:
“Clearance for United Four Sixty‐One to O'Hare.”

NOTE-
Pilots are expected to furnish the facility concerned with destination airport information on initial radio call‐up. This will provide the information necessary for detecting any destination airport differences on facility relay.

4. The assigned altitude, according to the provisions in para 4-3-2, Departure Clearances, subpara e, is stated in the clearance.

b. If it is necessary to modify a filed route of flight in order to achieve computer acceptance due, for example, to incorrect fix or airway identification, the contraction “FRC,” meaning “Full Route Clearance Necessary,” or “FRC/(fix),” will be added to the remarks. “FRC” or “FRC/(fix)” must always be the first item of intra‐center remarks. When “FRC” or “FRC/(fix)” appears on a flight progress strip, the controller issuing the ATC clearance to the aircraft shall issue a full route clearance to the specified fix, or, if no fix is specified, for the entire route.

EXAMPLE-
“Cleared to Missoula International Airport, Chief Two Departure to Angley; direct Salina; then as filed; maintain one seven thousand.”

NOTE-
Changes, such as those made to conform with traffic flows and preferred routings, are only permitted to be made by the pilot (or his/her operations office) or the controller responsible for initiating the clearance to the aircraft.

c. Specify the destination airport in the clearance.

d. When no changes are required in the filed route, state the phrase: “Cleared to (destination) airport, (SID and SID transition, as appropriate); then, as filed.” If a SID is not assigned, follow with “As filed.” Specify the assigned altitude; and, if required, add any additional instructions or information, including final requested altitude if different than assigned except if Pre-Departure Clearance (PDC) is utilized.

PHRASEOLOGY-
CLEARED TO (destination) AIRPORT;

and as appropriate,

(SID name and number) DEPARTURE,
THEN AS FILED.

MAINTAIN (altitude); (additional instructions or information).

If a SID is not assigned,

CLEARED TO (destination) AIRPORT AS FILED.
MAINTAIN (altitude);

and if required,

(additional instructions or information).

EXAMPLE-
“Cleared to Reynolds Airport; David Two RNAV Departure, Kingham Transition; then, as filed. Maintain niner thousand. Expect flight level four one zero, one zero minutes after departure.”


“Cleared to Reynolds Airport as filed. Maintain niner thousand. Expect flight level four one zero, one zero minutes after departure.”

NOTE-
1. SIDs are excluded from “cleared as filed” procedures.

2. If a pilot does not wish to accept an ATC clearance to fly a SID, he/she is expected to advise ATC or state “NO SID” in his/her flight plan remarks.

e. When a filed route will require revisions, the controller responsible for initiating the clearance to the aircraft shall either:

1. Issue a FRC/FRC until a fix; or

2. If it reduces verbiage, state the phrase: “Cleared to (destination) airport, (SID and SID transition, as appropriate), then as filed, except . . ..” Specify the necessary revision, then the assigned altitude; and if required, add any additional instructions or information. If a SID is not assigned, state: “Cleared to (destination) airport as filed, except . . ..” Specify the necessary revision, the assigned altitude; and if required, add any additional instructions or information.

PHRASEOLOGY-
CLEARED TO (destination) AIRPORT;

and as appropriate,

(SID name and number) DEPARTURE,

(transition name) TRANSITION; THEN,

AS FILED, EXCEPT CHANGE ROUTE TO READ (amended route portion).

MAINTAIN (altitude);

and if required,

(additional instructions or information).

If a SID is not assigned,

CLEARED TO (destination) AIRPORT AS FILED,

EXCEPT CHANGE ROUTE TO READ (amended route portion).

MAINTAIN (altitude);

and if required,

(additional instructions or information).

EXAMPLE-
“Cleared to Reynolds Airport; South Boston One Departure; then, as filed, except change route to read South Boston Victor Twenty Greensboro. Maintain eight thousand, report leaving four thousand.”

“Cleared to Reynolds Airport as filed, except change route to read South Boston Victor Twenty Greensboro. Maintain eight thousand, report leaving four thousand.”

“Cleared to Reynolds Airport via Victor Ninety‐one Albany, then as filed. Maintain six thousand.”

f. In a nonradar environment specify one, two, or more fixes, as necessary, to identify the initial route of flight.

EXAMPLE-
The filed route of flight is from Hutchins V10 Emporia, thence V10N and V77 to St. Joseph. The clearance will read:
“Cleared to Watson Airport as filed via Emporia, maintain Seven Thousand.”

g. Do not apply these procedures when a pilot requests a detailed clearance or to military operations conducted within ALTRV, stereo routes, operations above FL 600, and other military operations requiring special handling.

NOTE-
Departure clearance procedures and phraseology for military operations within approved altitude reservations, military operations above FL 600, and other military operations requiring special handling are contained in separate procedures in this order or in a LOA, as appropriate.

If you do not change the routing or specify any runway restrictions, you do not need to put the phraseology about terrain on the pilot. If however, you cahnge something from what the pilot planned to do...see below....

NOTE-
IFR takeoff minimums and departure procedures are prescribed for specific airports/runways and published in a tabular form supplement to the FAA instrument approach procedure chart and appropriate FAA Form 8260. These procedures are identified on instrument approach procedure charts with a symbol:

3. Compatibility with a procedure issued may be verified by asking the pilot if items obtained/solicited will allow him/her to comply with local traffic pattern, terrain, or obstruction avoidance.

ZBWPL Newcomer

After doing some more research I found the following:

AIM 4-4-1a and b

My question is does 7110.65 4-3-2c(3) make sence? Is that why it says "...a procedure issued MAY be varified..." ?

However 7110.65 4-3-2(1)b "Locations without Air Traffic Control Service, but within a Class E surface area.....Obtain/solicit the pilots concerance concerning these items BEFORE issueing them in a clearance" Can somone give me an example? I think I will understand it better if I see an example.

Thanks,

-PL

NATCA69 Newcomer USA

You need to give us the airport(s) you are talking about.
Then ask your specific question again.
Look at a sectional to see if the airport(s) you are talking about have a Class E surface area.

MikeATC Retired FAA, NATCA Member Nashville TN

ZBWPL,
Don't read to much into the short rang clearance. Basically the getting pilot concurrence means the pilot understands and agrees with the short range clearance, and has knows what to do if you for some reason don't establish radar or communication. Depending on the type aircraft, I will give them an alternate frequency (sometimes the adjoining sector or facility they are filed through) in case they can't get me, this all depends on the situations.

Usually I'll tell he pilot that the reason for the short clearance is to establish radar, and to allow coordination with an adjoining sector or facility. In 25 years I've only had two pilots refuse the short clearance, and I gave them the choice of departing VFR, or holding on the ground.

ZBWPL Newcomer

Thanks MikeATC. I am still going to post this example here just get everyone’s take.

Here are some airports and examples.

N12345, C182/A, filed from KAUG to KBVT via V104 BML V104 MPV, requested altitude is 16,000.

So I would say “N12345, Boston Center, cleared to Burlington airport via reaching 4,400 fly heading 330, expect radar vectors to join V104, then as filed. Departure frequency 128.2, squawk 1234. Hold for release.”

7110.65 4-3-2(1) b“Locations without Airport Traffic Control Service, but within a Class E surface area- specify these items if necessary. Obtain/solicit the pilot's concurrence concerning these items before issuing them in a clearance.”

7110.65 4-3-2c(3) “Compatibility with a procedure issued may be verified by asking the pilot if items obtained/solicited will allow him/her to comply with local traffic pattern, terrain, or obstruction avoidance.”

So…would I actually ask them before issuing the clearance? IE. “N12345, verify a heading of 330 will allow compliance with terrain and obstruction clearance”? By the way, I used “reaching 4,400” for an example MIA in that area…and I would be working in the Enroute environment that requires more than 3 mile separation so the whole vectoring below minimum altitude wouldn’t apply.

Lets say the same aircraft, same route and everything, but this time, its nonradar. So, could I give him AUG..ANSYN.V104 as filed? Or no? And if I did give him that would I still have to confirm the whole obstruction/terrain stuff? I know it may seem silly to give him AUG since its right on field, but could you?

Why do we have to verify that stuff? Is it to remind them? Because right in the AIM it does say (AIM 4-4-1(b) “If ATC issues a clearance that would cause the pilot to deviate from a rule or regulation or in the pilot’s option, would place the aircraft in jeopardy, it is the pilots responsibility to request an amended clearance.” WOULD a readback of the clearance be good enough to say they are accepting it?

I will stop here for now…I have a few other airports (not class E to SFC….KMLT) in my mind (different scenario). I will post back soon.

Thanks so much,
-PL