On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 20:36:12 -0500, Wizard of Draws
wrote:

So, was I IFR as soon as I was given a squawk and required to fly my flight
plan, or should I have waited to change from a VFR altitude to an IFR
altitude until I was given specific instructions?

The salient items of a clearance that tell you you are operating under IFR
a
1. Clearance Limit
2. Route (which could be "as filed")
3. Altitude


You did state that the plan was to "open your flight plan in the air".

If your only conversation with ATC went as you report:

=======================
Jeff: XYZ approach, N123WD
ATC: N123WD, squawk 5547
======================

Then at the time you were given a squawk code, you were still operating
under VFR. You had not received any clearance from ATC.


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)