When I am IFR, and the tower does not issue some heading instruction
on takeoff, I get suspicious, and I double check. More often than
not (not always), I have found the situation to be as described - the
tower didn't get the word. So the risk/reward has been favorable.

Your experience may be different.





On Sat, 1 Dec 2007 04:30:37 -0600, "Steven P. McNicoll"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .

I was speaking of the takeoff clearance, to wit:


"Whenever you are cleared for takeoff and do not get some kind of
instruction from tower (fly runway heading, turn left xxx., etc), be
suspicious."


That wasn't the case here. The OP had an instruction like that from the
tower, it was issued by ground control as part of the IFR clearance. No
reason to be suspicious.