Does ATC know if you are IR'ed?

Jim K said:
I'm amazed by the number of pilots you run into like that. When I was pa32 shopping I looked at one that had a 20 year old w&b that was clearly from before a major avionics refit. The owners had no idea. They repeated the old "as long as we can close the doors we fly it". You can get away with a lot in a pa32, but to have never calculated w&b?!

Last fly in I went to, awos was reporting 400' ceilings, which I found to be accurate as I flew the rnav approach. Meanwhile when I switched over to ctaf, there was two RV's flying a "vfr" traffic pattern.
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W&B on my plane was 12 years out of date. Paid a guy to do a new one. Guess idiots who fly IFR without being IR also don't care about that either.
 
When I purchased my second Lance, the W&B page was 'empty'. There had been a revision to the page so someone took the old page out (with the data on it) and put in the replacement page, but did not copy the data across. :( This was not caught by the AI that did the pre-buy, so he pulled out his scales and fixed the issue. I think the revision was about 15 years prior to my purchase.
Tony T.
 
flyingron said:
Besides, there are lots of instrument-rated pilots that aren't current or competent anyhow.

You have to name the PIC on an instrument plan, but I've never had to provide it in the abbreviated air filed/pop-up one.
Even the name in a filed plan isn't verified for legality.
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Last time (within the past year) I asked for a pop up, they asked for name and phone number.
 
EdFred said:
Last time (within the past year) I asked for a pop up, they asked for name and phone number.
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Another thing that’s not standardized in ATC. Technically air file through ARTCC requires all flight plan info just as you would when filing through FSS. But, there are some TRACONs including where I worked (RAPCON / RATCF) that will want the same information for air files. This is so the recorder records any important info for SAR purposes.

Now, a popup (abbreviated flight plan) that’s staying intrafacility and not being imputed to the NAS computer, there’s no requirement.
 
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Witmo said:
I'd wager there are a lot of non-current IR pilots who occasionally pick up a clearance they are not legal to accept.
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That Mooney that went down fairly recently in approach to VNY was likely one of them, sadly.
 
Well, the worst are people flying in IMC without following IFR rules (like clearances). As the saying goes, they're a hazard to everything in the sky, birds too.

Then you've got the issue of people attempting to fly on a clearance who aren't able (not rated, not current, not equipped, whatever). They're mostly a danger to themselves.
 
I think there are three levels, not two.
1) no clearance
2) not rated, not equipped, rated (but can't fly it)
3) not legally current but can fly it
 
Having the pilots name, at least phone number is sometimes useful. I fly probably 90%!into towered fields. I may or may not have occasionally forgotten to close out my IFR flight plan upon landing at a non-towered field. Having FSS call you on your cell phone, asking if you are OK and landed is less embarrassing than being asked that by the local police. Airport is shut down for IFR traffic until you cancel.

edit: Actually I believe it is ATC that calls you. DAMHIK
 
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As a radar trainee, I am taught to give a pop up clearance, then instruct the pilot to contact FSS and file the rest of the flight plan. not that it happens like that in reality...
 
Wrench978 said:
As a radar trainee, I am taught to give a pop up clearance, then instruct the pilot to contact FSS and file the rest of the flight plan. not that it happens like that in reality...
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Is that even if I'm landing at an airport in your area or just if being handed off to center or another facility?
 
Just this week I needed a pop up to get back into my airport on an instrument training flight. When I made the request, I stated the plane and pilot were certified and capable. (Atlanta TRACON). The first thing he then asked me was if the plane and pilot were certified and capable. I got my clearance and was not asked for name, number on board, phone #, nothing.
 
AlphaMike said:
This is a question related to the plane that crashed in South Lyon MI last Saturday. It looks like the pilot was flying VFR back to MI from GA. It appears he picked up an IFR clearance somewhere over Ohio. If you look the pilot up on the FAA it does not show him as having an IR. My question is, does ATC check to see if the pilot is IR before they issue the clearance?

Link to the discussion
https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/south-lyon-michigan-y47-comanche-crash.130066/

Thanks
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In Canada, you do put the PIC's name and license number in the flight plan (VFR or IFR), but even then, ATC doesn't know — when I ask for a pop-up IFR clearance, they sometimes ask me if I'm IFR certified and equipped. Air-traffic controllers aren't responsible for license enforcement.
 
EdFred said:
Is that even if I'm landing at an airport in your area or just if being handed off to center or another facility?
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It's supposed to be for every ifr pop up we issue. Mostly for search and rescue purposes, so there is a record of souls on board, color of aircraft, equipment, etc


Edit: it never happens for real though.
 
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Wrench978 said:
Mira supposed to be for every ifr pop up we issue. Mostly for search and rescue purposes, so there is a record of souls on board, color of aircraft, equipment, etc
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A few controllers at my facility will ask the pilot for fuel/souls/color on frequency, but not write it down or anything. At least that way it's on the tapes if something does happen and they need the information. I'm not sure where they learned it or whether that'd be frowned upon if something did happen, but I suppose it's better than not having it at all.
 
Wrench978 said:
It's supposed to be for every ifr pop up we issue. Mostly for search and rescue purposes, so there is a record of souls on board, color of aircraft, equipment, etc

Edit: it never happens for real though.
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In Canada, I get asked for SOB sometimes with a popup, but not the rest.
 
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