Dave Butler wrote:


AFAIK ATC can't "assign a VFR departure". Please show me where it says
they can do that.

Right, the pilot has to ask for it.




Others say a VFR climb can be requested right from the airport surface,
with the issuance of an instrument clearance for departure. I've never
seen/heard this done, but I don't see any regulatory reason why it
should not be possible, and I defer to those who say they have done it.

A VFR climb comes in handy in the mountains. Busy places like Salt Lake
see a lot of VFR climbs by the airlines so they don't have to get
vectored to hell and gone for their climb.