Cruise clearance

"Hankal" wrote in message
...

Would have to request 7000. Flying 090.
Since I am only 40 miles from the destination I just do not want to
climb another 2000 feet.


ATC can assign altitudes that are wrong for direction of flight.

wrote in message
...

Another option in your case would have been VFR on top at 5500?
I guess that doesn't quite meet the cloud clearance, though.


No, it doesn't. If the cloud layers are 4000 to 5200 and he's heading east,
he'd have to climb to 7500 to operate VFR-on-top.

"Stan Gosnell" me@work wrote in message
...

A cruise clearance won't let you do this. What you want is a
VFR-on-top clearance.


If the clouds are 4000 to 5200 and he's eastbound VFR-on-top would require
him to climb to 7500. If he just wants to get above the clouds a block
altitude of 5000 to 6000 would do the trick.

ATC can assign altitudes that are wrong for direction of flight.

This is true. The "East is least and West is best" only applies to VFR
flight. A good example is when I was flying East at 6000 and ATC instructed
me to climb to 7000. I was IFR at the time. I started picking up ice at
7000 and requested "lower". ATC then cleared me back down to 6000, not 5000
which they could have.

"Stan Gosnell" me@work wrote in message
...
(Hankal) wrote in
:

How many times do you get a cruise clearance. Ever get
"unable" Lets say the cloud layers are 4000 to 5200. You
are cleared to 5000, but want to climb to 5300 or above. Is
it possible to get a "cruise" clearance to stay above the
layers? What about over class B?

A cruise clearance won't let you do this. What you want is a
VFR-on-top clearance. A cruise clearance gives you the altitude
you're cleared to cruise, plus all altitudes *below* that, plus
clearance for the approach of your choice at your destination.
VFR on top clears you for any VFR altitude, on top of the
clouds.


You don't have to be on top of all the clouds, or any clouds for that
matter. You just need to be VFR.

"Bill Gamelson" wrote in
om:

ATC can assign altitudes that are wrong for direction of flight.

This is true. The "East is least and West is best" only applies to
VFR flight. A good example is when I was flying East at 6000 and ATC
instructed me to climb to 7000. I was IFR at the time. I started
picking up ice at 7000 and requested "lower". ATC then cleared me
back down to 6000, not 5000 which they could have.




The hemispheric rule applies to IFR also, but only in uncontrolled airspace
(class G).

A cruise clearance does not allow you to climb above your present altitude.
If you want a higher altitude, ask for a higher altitude.


No? What about I'm assigned 5000, and I'm level at 5000. I request a "cruise
7000" and am granted that request. ("347FB cruise seven thousand").

1: is this an improper request? (never mind whether it will accomplish what
anybody thinks I want to accomplish)

2: Is it improper to give me "347FB cruise seven thousand" when I'm level at
5000?

3: If the answer to the above are "no", then how do I get to 7000 without
climbing? (and without drugs)

Jose

--
(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

Andrew Sarangan ) wrote:

"Bill Gamelson" wrote in
om:

ATC can assign altitudes that are wrong for direction of flight.

This is true. The "East is least and West is best" only applies to
VFR flight. A good example is when I was flying East at 6000 and ATC
instructed me to climb to 7000. I was IFR at the time. I started
picking up ice at 7000 and requested "lower". ATC then cleared me
back down to 6000, not 5000 which they could have.




The hemispheric rule applies to IFR also, but only in uncontrolled airspace
(class G).

While perhaps your comment may be technically true, it's been my experience
flying IFR in the Northeast US that ATC very much wants IFR aircraft filing
altitudes that conform to the hemispheric rule.

If I tried to file a nonconforming altitude for the direction of flight
(which has occasionally happened by mistake), the CD controller always
corrected this oversight upon delivering my clearance.


--
Peter

"Teacherjh" wrote in message
...

No?


No.



What about I'm assigned 5000, and I'm level at 5000. I request
a "cruise 7000" and am granted that request. ("347FB cruise
seven thousand").


Why would you request a descent and approach clearance if all you wanted was
to climb from 5000 to 7000? If you want a higher altitude, ask for a higher
altitude.



1: is this an improper request? (never mind whether it will
accomplish what anybody thinks I want to accomplish)


Yes.



2: Is it improper to give me "347FB cruise seven thousand" when
I'm level at 5000?


Yes.



3: If the answer to the above are "no", then how do I get to
7000 without climbing? (and without drugs)


Regardless of the answer to the above, you cannot get to 7000 from 5000
without climbing. If you want to get from 5000 to 7000 then request 7000,
don't request a descent and approach clearance.

I advise you to get off the drugs.

"Peter R." wrote in message
...

While perhaps your comment may be technically true, it's been
my experience flying IFR in the Northeast US that ATC very
much wants IFR aircraft filing altitudes that conform to the
hemispheric rule.

If I tried to file a nonconforming altitude for the direction of flight
(which has occasionally happened by mistake), the CD
controller always corrected this oversight upon delivering my
clearance.


FAR 91.179(b) requires IFR aircraft in Class G airspace to conform to the
hemispheric rule, there's no relief from that. FAR 91.179(a) requires IFR
aircraft in controlled airspace to maintain the altitude assigned by ATC, no
mention of any hemispheric rule in the regulation. But FAA Order 7110.65
requires controllers to issue altitudes consistent with the hemispheric
rule, unless one of many exceptions applies.

If you're requesting an altitude that isn't very popular, you'll probably
get it. If you're requesting an altitude that many aircraft going the
proper direction like to use, you probably won't. In a nutshell, aircraft
going the right way have dibs on altitude.