zatatime wrote in
:

What is the definition of nearby? Can I file to any VOR or
intersection, say, within 20 miles of my departure point? Do I have
to actually file starting with a fix, or can I just file from any
point on an airway? Given the busy nature of the NY area, what are my
odds of getting a clearance using a fix further away? (That last one
may just come from experience). A better understanding of this sure
will help me pick better routes in the future since I'd always file to
the closest, even if I had a crappy route to my destination.

You can file to any fix you can navigate to. I regularly file to and from
lat/lon coordinates, far from any airway. It's easier for ATC if you file to
a fix they have in the database, but it's not absolutely essential. You do
need to be able to navigate to the fix in the event of radar failure.

You may not be cleared to the fix you filed to, and perhaps won't get the
route you filed. But you can *file* what you like.

--
Regards,

Stan