Me: "Center .. Littleplane 1234 .. request"
Center: "1234 .. go ahead"
Me: "Got time to take an IFR plan for me?"
Center: "Sure .. go ahead"
(You're home free)
or
Center: "Sorry 1234 .. not right now .. you'll need to file with FSS"
Me: "Ok .. 1234 requests to leave the frequency to contact FSS"
Center: "Approved 1234 .. report when back on"
Me: "Center .. 1234 is back on and has an IFR plan in the hopper"





"paul kgyy" wrote in message
oups.com...
I was taught that, if I needed to file an IFR flight plan in the middle
of a trip, I should contact FSS first to file and get clearance, then
contact ATC. On the other hand, I hear frequent references in
rec.aviation to pilots who just contact ATC directly. Does this depend
on how busy ATC is - i.e. near Chicago contact FSS, near Moline contact
Moline approach?