Enroute "Cleared to destination" ...

flyzone

flyzone

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Oct 10, 2014
Messages
111
Display Name
Display name:
Flyzone
Yesterday on a flight across Pennsylvania into Ohio I was on an IFR flight plan. About half way through the flight the controller told me I was cleared to my final destination. I'm not sure why he told me this and at the time wasn't precisely sure what it meant. I mean if I've already been given a clearance on the ground, aren't I already "cleared to my destination"? I was in clouds and didn't really want to alter my flight plan so I told him I wanted to stay on my current routing. He responded but may have been confused about my request as well.

I know things change in route but I'm still not sure why they feel it is necessary to say this. In the past I believe I've making a mistake when I have received this kind of clearance much closer in and have interpreted it to mean "Cleared DIRECT" (in VFR conditions or a visual approach) but without the word DIRECT I believe you must follow your filed flight plan or as modified by ATC enroute.

I know this sounds pretty basic but the nuance of it is just sinking in for me but was wondering what others thought.
 
Why didn't you just query the controller if he meant cleared direct?

In the northeast a direct routing is rare- If ATC is offering it, you bet I'm taking it.:D
 
He either used poor phraseology or you misheard. "Verify cleared direct destination?" would've been a good response if you weren't sure how to interpret what he said.

There's 0% chance he was changing your clearance limit, since you were already cleared to your destination airport to begin with (unless you were holding and neglected to mention that in your post, which is unlikely). It sounds like he/she may have been using slang to convey that you were cleared to your destination, via direct.
 
You were probably going to an uncontrolled airport.

4−8−2. CLEARANCE LIMIT
Issue approach or other clearances, as required,
specifying the destination airport as the clearance
limit if airport traffic control service is not provided
even though this is a repetition of the initial clearance.
PHRASEOLOGY−
CLEARED TO (destination) AIRPORT
 
Ditto - I think/think he meant cleared direct. It's cool to ask. . .
 
Did he also tell you to "expect the active runway"?

I was once cleared for an approach with "The approach is approved". It felt like he meant it had his personal approval or something.
 
luvflyin said:
You were probably going to an uncontrolled airport.

4−8−2. CLEARANCE LIMIT
Issue approach or other clearances, as required,
specifying the destination airport as the clearance
limit if airport traffic control service is not provided
even though this is a repetition of the initial clearance.
PHRASEOLOGY−
CLEARED TO (destination) AIRPORT
Click to expand...

That would be correct, it was. Still not sure why it would be needed tho but will check it out. This from AIM I assume. Tnx.
 
coloradobluesky said:
Did he also tell you to "expect the active runway"?

I was once cleared for an approach with "The approach is approved". It felt like he meant it had his personal approval or something.
Click to expand...

No, he did not. Later I was asked about approach but told them visual approach and then canceled. Tnx.
 
So, it is a bit more "clear" now. He was giving me an APPROACH clearance with 1-1/2 hrs. to go in the flight. There was not an approach I could use (not RNAV equipped) and only a visual was available to me and the airport was uncontrolled (KLNN). It was CAVU all day at the airport so that was no problem and I guess he was saying you're free to get in any way you want from the last VOR. Even tho it sounds redundant, I guess technically it is not, since my original clearance was a flight clearance and this was an approach clearance.

That was a pretty good find.
 
neilw2 said:
Why didn't you just query the controller if he meant cleared direct?

In the northeast a direct routing is rare- If ATC is offering it, you bet I'm taking it.:D
Click to expand...

I really didn't want to go direct and told him so. I was in the clouds getting bounced around and wanted to remain on my airway plan for work load simplicity which was already dialed in and only had one additional bend with little mileage penalty. But based on luvflyin's explanation that isn't what he was telling me at all. It was an approach clearance.

Tnx.
 
coloradobluesky said:
Did he also tell you to "expect the active runway"?

I was once cleared for an approach with "The approach is approved". It felt like he meant it had his personal approval or something.
Click to expand...

No, no ref to "active runway" or anything else - which probably was the cause of my confusion. Tnx.
 
He wasn't giving you an approach clearance 1-1.5 hrs to go in your flight. Unless it's center, it would be outside of his airspace. To be cleared for a visual, you have to have the airport in sight at an uncontrolled field as well.

The controller was just trying to save you some time by sending you direct. Don't over think it.
 
flyzone said:
So, it is a bit more "clear" now. He was giving me an APPROACH clearance with 1-1/2 hrs. to go in the flight.
Click to expand...
Uh, no. Either was giving you "direct" or (don't laugh) there was a shift change and the new controller couldn't remember if you were on a vector or not, so just cleared you as though the vector was over with. MAYbe... he thought you were going to Cuyahoga County Airport (CGF) and couldn't pronounce it? I heard of a controller who couldn't pronounce Toledo. Said Toolydoo instead. :)

dtuuri
 
Agree with @Velocity173. Zero chance you were getting an approach clearance. If you were /G he was trying to help you by sending you direct your destination. I do the same every chance I get while controlling (so far every plane I've done that to has been appreciative unless its a training flight and they tell me so) and I am happy to get that from a controller on every flight that it's offered.

I don't see how it would be labor intensive to highlight the destination and direct to it but if for some reason you didn't want it you just politely say thank you but I'd prefer to fly my current route if able.
 
The thing that cracks me up is I'm flying along and ATC says, "I have a new route for you. Advise when ready to copy." I reach down and get my pad and tell them to go ahead. They come back with "Cleared Direct Culpeper" (my destination). This I had to copy?
 
flyzone said:
\About half way through the flight the controller told me I was cleared to my final destination.
Click to expand...
"Yes sir. Yes, I am."

It wasn't an approach clearance. (That would be "Cruise X,000" or "Cleared approach.")

Just ask.
 
Radar Contact said:
. I do the same every chance I get while controlling (so far every plane I've done that to has been appreciative unless its a training flight and they tell me so) and I am happy to get that from a controller on every flight that it's offered.
Click to expand...

I will occasionally request to stay on FPR when given direct to avoid water. In the mid Atlantic, several common places where direct is given will put you right down the middle of the Chesapeake or cutting the corner between NJ and Long Island. Especially in the winter and without floatation, I will stay within gliding distance.
 
flyzone said:
That would be correct, it was. Still not sure why it would be needed tho but will check it out. This from AIM I assume. Tnx.
Click to expand...
It's from the controllers handbook. You usually don't get that until your with the facility that's going to give the approach clearance. To have just gotten it as a stand alone instruction while still enroute would have been a misapplication of the rule
 
flyzone said:
Was flying /A. Technically I couldn't fly it.
Click to expand...

That stops few people today.

I've flown MD/NJ to Western PA fights a couple of times recently. Both started with long airway based clearances but about the time I'd get past KABE's airspace I'd get 'Cleared direct destination'.

Shortened to 'Cleared Destination' is not normal terminology but would be understood by this pilot. My response would be "Cleared Direct Destination, 5 Tango Golf" accompanied by a usually unspoken 'Thanks!'


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
flyzone said:
Was flying /A. Technically I couldn't fly it.
Click to expand...
That doesn't stop ATC from offering it. Even before most folks had panel GPS, ATC was giving direct clearances. Either they didn't look or didn't care to look or just didn't care about the equipment codes. If they were talking to you and you didn't do something to cause a problem, they were happy.

You know all the heated arguments about pilot who "can't" fly without an iPad. You shoulda heard the ones 10 years ago about accepting "direct" ATC IFR clearances with /A or /U aircraft, but a handheld GPS.
 
midlifeflyer said:
You know all the heated arguments about pilot who "can't" fly without an iPad. You shoulda heard the ones 10 years ago about accepting "direct" ATC IFR clearances with /A or /U aircraft, but a handheld GPS.
Click to expand...
You mean it got settled? How did it come out?

dtuuri
 
If you've ever had your iPad go out in flight and in the clouds you think twice about such things. (I do carry a spare). I'm no saint and have accepted these in the past but I do still try to keep the needles on. The historical remarks were interesting. I guess these things go both ways here. I got a tongue lashing from "the community" when I asked about not having an ADF for a missed approach fix on an ILS in mostly VFR conditions. I did have an iPad and VFR GPS and could identify it easily if I had to but I got an earful about RAIM, rules and righteousness. But then again I guess we come here to hear a different point of view. Tnx.
 
flyzone said:
If you've ever had your iPad go out in flight and in the clouds you think twice about such things. (I do carry a spare). I'm no saint and have accepted these in the past but I do still try to keep the needles on. The historical remarks were interesting. I guess these things go both ways here. I got a tongue lashing from "the community" when I asked about not having an ADF for a missed approach fix on an ILS in mostly VFR conditions. I did have an iPad and VFR GPS and could identify it easily if I had to but I got an earful about RAIM, rules and righteousness. But then again I guess we come here to hear a different point of view. Tnx.
Click to expand...
Add this to the history and comment mix: off-airway direct routing requires radar contact with ATC. That means loss of handheld signal does not have to be a big deal. The other piece was, although the more righteous among us thought it was horrible, usage was rarely based on a direct flouting of the rules, and was arguably within the rules. More of an understanding between pilot and ATC when in radar contact. One version of the dialog went like this (and probably still does for those who do):

ATC: N1234X. Proceed direct DEST
Pilot: Unable direct. But I have a handheld GPS. Looks like a heading of 040.
ATC: N1234X. Fly heading 040.

Yeah, you actually flew GPS course rather than heading, but...
 
midlifeflyer said:
ATC: N1234X. Proceed direct DEST
Pilot: Unable direct. But I have a handheld GPS. Looks like a heading of 040.
ATC: N1234X. Fly heading 040.

Yeah, you actually flew GPS course rather than heading, but...
Click to expand...

I've always heard that as...

"Cleared direct DEST."
"Unable, we're /A, but I am vector qualified!"

:)
 
You shoulda heard the fussing when I made a 200nm trip through the Appalachians just after my PPL checkride. I flew VFR direct, no GPS of any kind in the plane. Didn't have any problems, did make lots of marks on the two sectionals before departure. Was quite happy to have a 430W for instrument training, but still fly VFR without it sometimes to maintain the skillset.

I still can't believe there are people who can't / won't fly without their favorite app running on a consumer-grade tablet . . . . And some use it as primary over a certified panel mount GPS with moving map! :dunno:
 
wsuffa said:
A lot better than "I have a full-route amendment to your clearance, advise when ready to copy...."
Click to expand...

My first experience with that was in central Virginia, flying on a Direct clearance from furthest West Virginia to Williamsburg. They gave me four VORs, which dumped me out 30nm north of my destination. Still haven't figured out how that's a better route . . . .
 
Hank S said:
My first experience with that was in central Virginia, flying on a Direct clearance from furthest West Virginia to Williamsburg. They gave me four VORs, which dumped me out 30nm north of my destination. Still haven't figured out how that's a better route . . . .
Click to expand...
If the RADAR was out in the area, that's required. I've had the "Seymour's RADAR is out, we need to put you back on an airway."
 
flyingron said:
If the RADAR was out in the area, that's required. I've had the "Seymour's RADAR is out, we need to put you back on an airway."
Click to expand...

Or if you're low enough that the radar or radio reception is poor. I used to fly the route a fair amount when I lived in Cincinnati & came back this way. There are segments - some near Rainelle - where radio coverage is not all that good off airway.
 
wsuffa said:
Or if you're low enough that the radar or radio reception is poor. I used to fly the route a fair amount when I lived in Cincinnati & came back this way. There are segments - some near Rainelle - where radio coverage is not all that good off airway.
Click to expand...

I was at 9500, and Potomac's first words to me were "advise when ready to copy."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top