"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
...

This has happened to me several times. Now I *NEVER* tell the tower
I'm ready for take off if I'm IFR, I say "Ready for Release". Since
then I've never had a problem.


And if the tower respnds by telling you you're released? What do you do?

Any needed release should have been obtained during the taxi so that when
you are ready for takeoff you can be so cleared.



BTW: Once this could have been really dangerous. I was flying out of
Santa Barbara where they often use a different runway for IFR and VFR.
I told the tower I was ready to take off on runway XXX. Tower
responded with "Cleared for take off". I said "that airliner on final
looks really close". Tower said "Oh, I thought you were VFR I didn't
realize you were at runway XXX". So bottom line, never say "take off"
when you're IFR.


I believe the AIM uses "ready for departure".