Heh, maybe as far south as Raleigh you can fly direct, but I have yet to
ever receive a clearance in the northeast that didn't involve a fairly
complicated, circuitous route. Normally I can negotiate once I get outside
the NY Class B and get some better routings, but it's nigh impossible to
file and fly direct around here.

I was very surprised on the way back from Raleigh a few weeks ago, however,
when I was negotiating with clearance at RDU on the ground. Lots of bad
weather around Richmond and D.C. meant only a narrow line through the
storms, and the route I originally got took me right through the bad stuff.
I called up a couple minutes later (while still parked at the ramp) and
asked if I could get a better route. They asked what I wanted, so I said
"direct Reading", and they approved it! (well, the computer did at least).
Of course as soon as I was handed off to Potomac approach things got a
little dicey, and no more direct Reading, but fortunately the controller had
steered some planes through a gap in the weather, all reporting smooth
sailing, so I took his advice and got around the nasty stuff. Always good to
have the better radar of approach guiding you through weather than center
(at least that's what I learned by watching the ASF DVD about thunderstorm
avoidance I got in the mail a few weeks ago).

--
Guy Elden Jr.


"Maule Driver" wrote in message
r.com...
And if you file/request direct - you'll fly direct. When I go from
Raleigh
to Florida, I tend to flyer a straighter line IFR than VFR - I'll tend to
avoid the MOAs and stuff VFR.

It's easier to get radar weather help too.

"Guy Elden Jr." wrote in message
news
I agree about the increase in safety. I don't tempt fates unless there's
a
clear line through thunderstorms, one that is visible above the cloud
tops,
and ice is just a simple no-go unless the clouds are nice and high (or
broken). I actually haven't even bothered trying to fly in winter if
there
are clouds near or above the freezing level.

I also realized something... time spent on pre-season football could be
_much_ better spent on an IFR ticket for getting to the _real_ games
later
in the season! :-) Now that I've had my instrument ticket for over a
year,
I've found that I use it all the time, even in weather that is very
clear
and very visible. I like to fly long distances (done New Jersey to
Atlanta
twice now round-trip), and have found that if I'd just gone direct
versus
flying the airways I would've saved maybe 5 - 10 minutes tops on each
leg.
Not enough by far to leave behind the higher safety factor that IFR
offers.
You get separated from all IFR traffic, and usually get calls about VFR
traffic. But even if you don't get a VFR call, the number of VFR pilots
who
fly above about 2 - 3,000 feet AGL is much, much smaller than those who
fly
closer to the ground. I can't even remember the last time I got a
traffic
call for VFR traffic while flying IFR anywhere above a cruising altitude
of
4,000 ft.

Another thing to consider is that on those marginal days, you'll still
be
able to climb to a nice, comfortable cruising altitude and get better
fuel
economy... not to mention a much smoother ride, and depending on
direction,
a stiff tailwind to boot. The extra training alone will help improve
your
skills, which is always a good thing as we all continue to use our
"licenses
to learn".

--
Guy Elden Jr.


"Maule Driver" wrote in message
r.com...
Jay, the time thing is a bear.

But while you may not cancel many flights that you may "feel
comfortable
with flying IFR", you will make more of those flights that you do make
"more
comfortably" IFR. More safely too.

Ironically, IFR you will spend more time in the sun rather than among
the
attennaes. Bring your sunglasses.

Com'on Jay, try to make the time!

(but you've heard all that)

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:fLKUc.9708$Fg5.53@attbi_s53...
While the instrument rating may get one through some events, it is
not
a
guarantee. In a single engine piston aircraft without weather
avoidance equipment, one runs the risk of flying into embedded
cells.

My main reason for not finishing up my instrument training has been
a
lack
of time. A close second, however, is the fact that I have been
tracking
my
"weather vs. flight" ratio for several years, and it is indeed a
rare
VFR
flight that is cancelled because of conditions that I would feel
comfortable
with flying IFR.

The flights I've scrubbed have usually been because of thunderstorms
(which
I wouldn't challenge IFR) or snow/ice -- for which my Pathfinder is
not
equipped. I also have no weather avoidance equipment on board, so
flying
in
August in the clag would be unwise. (Check out a radar loop for
Iowa
today,
and you'll see why.)

The bottom line is painful, but true: Until I own a much more
capable
aircraft than Atlas, an IFR ticket would be a nice ego booster, but
not
much
use.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"