"Scott Moore" wrote in message
...
"Waiting for IFR release". It says it all.

It gets the message across but for the hair-splitters out there it may not
be accurate.

You're actually waiting for takeoff clearance. You may or may not be
waiting for IFR release.

An IFR release is an internal ATC procedure between the tower and IFR
facility responsible for that airport.

The tower may need to call for each individual release. It may have already
called and gotten it while you were taxiing. It may have automatic
releases. It may operate one way during one part of the day and another way
during other times. It may normally operate one way all day but for reasons
of his own the departure controller shut off the flow.

A pilot really has no way to know which procedure is in effect or any real
reason to care.

When you say "N12345 is ready" the local controller will issue takeoff
clearance as soon as he's able.

If you say "N12345 is ready IFR" he'll know to look for the IFR strip (many
towers don't use strips for VFR) to ensure everything is copasetic before
issuing takeoff clearance. That includes getting a release if he needs one.

John Clonts wrote On 09/23/05 09:01,:
or should they just know it already?

I was departing Sugarland (KSGR) yesterday, after having gotten my
clearance from ground control. Tower assigned me runway heading (this
was about 45 minutes later as there was MUCH traffic waiting in line
for takeoffs) and handed me off to departure. I had trouble getting a
word in edgewise, but when I eventually did, departure said "change
squawk to 0044". Later a different controller (but same freq I
believe) asked my if I was VFR???? I told him "Negative, N7NZ is
cleared Industry departure then as filed, currently on 270 vector". He
said, "roger, cleared direct IDU", and the rest of the flight was
uneventful (and unambiguously IFR). This was all in VMC.

Later I thought that maybe the tower didn't realize I was IFR when he
cleared me for takeoff, and that fouled something up with departure.

Or, is there another reason I would have immediately been given a new
squawk code like that? I seem to remember that 0xxx squawks are
"local" or something like that. Yet I believe I then kept that same
0044 the entire remaining duration of the flight (through Houston
Center and then Austin Approach to my destination 44TE).

Thanks!
John Clonts
Temple, Texas
N7NZ