On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 00:23:01 GMT, Mike Williamson
wrote:

Larry Dighera wrote:
On Sun, 06 Aug 2006 22:20:04 GMT, "Steven P. McNicoll"
wrote in
. net:


"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...

It was largely rhetorical.

If Mr. Rasimus' assertion, that the flight plan type for the military
is IFR is correct, and MTRs are created for military use, why are
there VFR MTRs? Presumably the military won't be operating VFR on VFR
MTRs.


Let's cut this short. There are VFR flight plans and the military operates
VFR on VFR MTRs.



So you're contradicting Mr. Rasimus' assertion that the military only
flies IFR flight plans?


Ed was incorrect- the military does fly at least some missions under
IFR. MOST missions, however, are filed and flown under VFR, and indeed
the regulations state that IFR will be used to the maximum extent
possible without impacting mission requirements. When I say most,
I mean more than probably 90% of military missions are flown IFR. The
only time I've been VFR in the past 3 years in the CONUS is when I'm in
the traffic pattern at an airfield where they don't offer continuous
IFR services. Even in those cases, an IFR flight plan was filed for
the flight.

Mike

MIke,

Without getting into quibbling, let me note that your last sentence
supports what I said in the first post and pretty much makes your
first comment regarding my correctness invalid.

In the tactical community (and the UPT training environment as well),
the IFR flight plan is always filed and the VFR portions are conducted
as a delay enroute. The aircrew involved on local sorties usually does
not handle the flight plan at all, but simply "signs out" with crew
and tail number and call-sign. The "canned flight plan" was filed with
ATC with the day's schedule. It is, however, an IFR flight plan.

Long ago (in a galaxy...) we used to take T-37s on X-country flights
VFR on VFR flight plans. I did it so regularly that I could pretty
much find my way from Willy to Nellis without a map. But, that sort of
flexibility went away and with VERY RARE exceptions, the flights are
always going to be on an IFR flight plan.
Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com