"Newps" wrote in message
...


KP wrote:

Include what you *think* the weather conditions *might* allow your VFR
cruising altitude to be if you feel like it but "VFR-On-Top" alone is
your *requested/assigned* IFR altitude.

Once you report reaching VFR-On-Top and the controller reclears to to
"Maintain VFR-On-Top" he isn't responsible for separation. After that he
doesn't really care much what your actual altitude is now or might be
later (beyond verifying your Mode C for traffic or idle curiosity).

Any altitude restrictions issued *before* you reach VFR-On-Top are a
different matter.

Yep and here 99% of OTP is from the night cargo haulers in their 99's and
Airliners. Their IFR flightplan is prefiled and as they taxi they request
OTP and say "I am OTP at this time." So we don't give them an altitude,
just "maintain VFR on Top."

OK, seems like reporting that I am OTP is part of the puzzle. A few days
ago, I had requested 125/OTP. I intended to fly at 12500 while VFR On Top,
so I requested that. The controller seemed a little uncertain, said he
didn't have any tops reports. Finally he cleared me to "Climb to and report
reaching 12000, maintain VFR-on-top at 12000. If not on top at 12000
maintain 12 thousand and advise." It seemed wierd, but I decided to climb
on up and clear it up at altitude. So I climbed to 12000 and reported "VFR
On Top at 12000". Then he told me to "Maintain VFR On Top at 12000", as I
recall, it might have been "at or below 12000". So I asked him if I
shouldn't be up at 12500, he stammered a bit, said stand by, then came back
and said to "Maintain VFR On Top at 12500 (might have been 12500 or below,
it has gotten fuzzy now)". It was a bit of a circus the rest of the way on
handoffs. One controller told me "For further advisories contact XXX Center
on YYY.ZZ", which I had not heard before while on an IFR flight plan. Then
another controller wouldn't let me descend in time (while I was still VFR On
Top), I wound up cancelling IFR and circling down to the airport.

From your post, I learn that I should report OTP as soon as I am OTP and can
remain so, even if I have not reached the "report reaching" altitude. Then
I should be cleared to just Maintain VFR On Top, and I can continue to climb
to my desired altitude. Is that right?

It's been too long to remember the details, but once I left our local
airport in Class C and the controller would not clear me for OTP, or gave me
OTP below 10000, can't remember now. His reason had something to do with
he didn't own the airspace above 10000. Does that mean the controller must
restrict my clearance to something that will cause me to be contained within
his airspace?\

Stan