Milen Lazarov wrote:

Newps wrote:



Wouldn't let you descend? It's not his call. You tell him you're
descending, if you choose to tell him at all.


Ok, how about the route aspect of VFR-On-Top? I know I'm supposed to fly
the route I was cleared for but what if ask for amended clearance?

Then you just might get one.


Would it be easier to get it if I'm OTP instead of having a hard
altitude assigned?

Yes.


Here is why I'm asking - I few weeks ago on me and a
friend were on CEC-OTH-ONP route along the CA/OR coast in a C172. He
asked for direct to KONP and center said he could give it to him at 15
000 or higher, even though there was no significant terain all the way
north.

Sounds like he was going to lose radar contact with you. A rule with
direct clearances is that you must be in radar contact outside of the
service volumes. Salt Lake disregards that pretty regularly but when
there is little traffic it doesn't matter.


Would it have been easier to get this if we were VFR-On-Top,

Maybe.


providing our own terrain and traffic separation?

Then you may as well be VFR.