wonders of VFR on top

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message ink.net...
"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
m...

The other day I wanted to get a clearance to get above an overcast
while in cruise. When I asked for a clearance the controller said it
would be awhile because my destination was more than 500 miles away.


Did you request an IFR clearance to that destination?

No, I said I need to pick up an IFR to climb above an overcast. He
asked me my dest. I told him. He said it would take 15 minutes or so
to get a clearance that far. I told him I would cancel on top. He said
it didn't make a difference he needed to get the clearance all the way
down. This was just south of SeaTac and I was going to California.


He said he needed to get me a clearance all the way there even though
my intention was to cancel on top.


Did you tell him you intended to cancel once in VFR conditions above the
clouds?

Yes




The controller than mentioned that
he could issue me a clearance to VFR-on-top w/o the entire route
clearance. I did that and it worked perfectly. I learned something.


He could also give you an IFR clearance without the entire route clearance.
If you did cancel upon reaching VFR conditions above the clouds you were
never operating VFR-on-top.

He gave me an IFR clearance "to VFR-on-top". He said that issuing the
clearance that way allowed him to not have to wait for the clearance
to go through Oakland Center (or whatever).

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

Did you request an IFR clearance to that destination?


No, I said I need to pick up an IFR to climb above an overcast. He
asked me my dest. I told him. He said it would take 15 minutes or so
to get a clearance that far. I told him I would cancel on top. He said
it didn't make a difference he needed to get the clearance all the way
down. This was just south of SeaTac and I was going to California.


There's no reason he'd have to issue a clearance all the way to your
destination.



He could also give you an IFR clearance without the entire route
clearance.
If you did cancel upon reaching VFR conditions above the clouds you were
never operating VFR-on-top.


He gave me an IFR clearance "to VFR-on-top".


As in "cleared to VFR-on-top" instead of "cleared to [fix]"? That's a
fairly common mistake made by inexperienced controllers. They issue
VFR-on-top in lieu of a clearance limit instead of a hard altitude.



He said that issuing the
clearance that way allowed him to not have to wait for the clearance
to go through Oakland Center (or whatever).


It's no different from any other IFR clearance. If the clearance limit is
outside of his airspace he has to coordinate with another controller
somewhere. If the clearance limit is within his airspace there's nobody to
coordinate with.

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message link.net...
"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
om...

Did you request an IFR clearance to that destination?


No, I said I need to pick up an IFR to climb above an overcast. He
asked me my dest. I told him. He said it would take 15 minutes or so
to get a clearance that far. I told him I would cancel on top. He said
it didn't make a difference he needed to get the clearance all the way
down. This was just south of SeaTac and I was going to California.


There's no reason he'd have to issue a clearance all the way to your
destination.

Could this have anything to do with the fact that Seattle ATC just got
those fancy new enroute computer systems we've been reading about?
-Robert

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

There's no reason he'd have to issue a clearance all the way to your
destination.


Could this have anything to do with the fact that Seattle ATC just got
those fancy new enroute computer systems we've been reading about?


No.