"Dave Butler" wrote in message
news:1127762088.858279@sj-nntpcache-5...
Matt Whiting wrote:
Dave Butler wrote:

This is an interesting thread. I'm based at a class C, RDU,
Raleigh-Durham, NC, and I've never had that happen, and I've never
informed tower that I was IFR. Never heard anyone else do it either.


Same here. Hard to believe that the tower wouldn't have some indication
of the flight plan type, but sounds like maybe not.

Must be one of those regional things. It seems some people always do it
and can't imagine how it would work if they didn't, and others (me) have
never heard of it.

Not regional, more like local.

The tower does have an indication of flight plan type. If it's IFR there is
a strip with the clearance and somebody (probably Ground) issued it to the
aircraft.

But if 99.9% of the traffic a local controller handles is VFR spamcans then
99.9% of the time when a spamcan calls for takeoff the response is going to
be "Cleared for takeoff." Usually without even looking for a strip since
many towers don't make strips for VFR.

Make it busy so the controller is looking out the windows trying to figure
out where he's going to put the airplanes instead of looking at or for a
strip (which isn't there 99.9% of the time anyway), throw in a departure
control who won't release aircraft in advance so the release can't be
obtained before the aircraft calls tower, then absent some sort of reminder,
the odds of launching that 0.01% IFR aircraft without a release go way up.

The reminder might be not issuing a squawk until released, asking local
aircraft to include "IFR" in their request for takeoff, the CD/FD or ground
controller bouncing the strip off the local controller's head, or something
else. But after one or two IFRs slip the surly bonds without a release,
some sort of procedural reminder will be put in place.

Some folks may think relying on an individual controller's memory and
situational awareness should be enough but it's not, never has been, never
will be :-/