IFR Clearances

IFR Clearances


The majority of the questions on this test relate to IFR clearances. An IFR clearance is an authorization for an aircraft to operate in the IFR System. The 5 critical parts of an IFR clearance are easily remembered using the acronym CRAFT, which stands for Clearance Limit, Route, Altitude, Frequency, and Transponder.


1. Clearance Limit ('C' in 'CRAFT')


Every time an IFR clearance is issued, it will contain certain items, issued to the pilot in a certain order. While these items and the order they are issued in is discussed above, we will go into a little detail about Clearance Limit itself.

Clearance Limit. It is exactly what it stands for. The limit of the IFR clearance, beyond which pilot cannot fly IMC, unless he either receives further clearance, or chooses to terminate his IFR flight plan. This limit, as you will learn while working Clearance Delivery position, is often the aircraft's destination airport. However at times this may be a fix, VOR, etc. For a large portion of your controlling Clearance Delivery, you will only be dealing with the destination airports, as clearance limits.

Examples:

1. "American Twelve Heavy, cleared to Chicago O'Hare international airport, HOLTZ Nine RNAV departure, Thermal transition, then as filed, maintain five thousand, expect flight level three seven zero, five minutes after departure, departure frequency one two four point three, squawk one zero four two."

In this example, the clearance limit is Chicago O'Hare international airport(KORD). The plane is flying there anyhow, so unless his clearance limit is changed enroute for some reason, he can comfortably fly all the way...with the help of ATC naturally.

2. "Saratoga one five one, cleared to Las Vegas McCarran international airport, LOOP6 departure, Dagget transition, then as filed, maintain five thousand, expect flight level two three zero, five minutes after departure, departure frequency one two four point three, squawk one zero three six."

In this example, the clearance limit is Las Vegas McCarran international airport(KLAS). Same applies to him/her, as to the plane in the first example.

  • Note: Airports should be pronounced using their correct name or city name to the extent possible. The GH aircraft utility and airnav.com are good places to find an airport name if you do not know it. Always include the word "airport" after the name of the airport.


Looking onto clearance limits where the limit is not the destination airport. Most of such cases exist in terminal or en route environment, where an aircraft would be put into a holding pattern, for any number of reasons. One of the very few reasons that Clearance Delivery would have to clear a plane to a clearance limit other than the destination airport, is if the plane was only departing IFR, and intended to continue the remainder of his journey under VFR. This may be for any one number of reasons(eg. IMC weather at departure airport, chance to depart faster under IFR than VFR due to other traffic loads, etc). The clearance would follow exactly the same format.

Example: "Mooney three six eight Mike Juliet, cleared to Paradize VOR , Sealbeach Five departure, Sealbeach VOR, Victor Eight, Paradize VOR, maintain five thousand, departure frequency one two four point three, squawk one zero two five."

Final note


One important thing to remember to check for when issuing IFR clearances, is that the destination, be it an airport or not, corresponds to where the pilot is requesting the clearance to. It is quite easy and simple for the pilot to misfile, by either swapping the departure and destination fields or by misspelling the destination's code, etc. This doesn't become as much of a problem if the pilot asks for "Tower Enroute" to a destination, without filing.


2. Route ('R' in 'CRAFT')


The pilot chooses an optimum route when he/she files a flight plan. Our goal as controllers is to issue a clearance that is close to that optimum route; but, that also manages traffic flow and controller workload. That last consideration makes the route of an aircraft is the most important part of the clearance delivery process. Aircraft need to be on certain routes in order for our airspace, and agreements with other ARTCCs to work. In actual operation, any route may be coordinated with the appropriate radar controller, and issued to the pilot if that controller agrees. However, for this test, all routes issued must comply with our SOPs.

2-1. Initial Routing Requirements


Because the airspace around our major airports can be quite busy, the route an aircraft takes immediately after departure is the most critical part of the clearance. At LAX and BUR, the two airports included in this test, the initial route will normally be a SID, or Standard Instrument Departure.

BUR is pretty straight-forward since it only has two SIDs, each of which is valid off any runway. LAX is more complex, since some of its SIDs are specific to a direction of departure. The BUR and LAX SOPs have details on which SIDs to use. You will reference those SOPs often while completing this test.

Some pilots will not have SID charts and will not be able to accept a clearance via a SID. In that case, assign the pilot an initial heading to fly (from the appropriate SID chart), for vectors to a route that mimics the SID.

For example, a pilot who should be issued the GMN4.EHF, but doesn't have the chart, should be issued a clearance like "November four zero five hotel tango, cleared to Portland airport, via fly heading two five zero, vector to Gorman, direct Shafter, then as filed..."

A pilot who should be issued the LOOP6.DAG, but doesn't have the chart should be issued a clearance like "November three zero three zulu sierra, cleared to Saint George airport, via fly heading two three five, vectors to Los Angeles, direct Dagget, then as filed..."

2-2. Routes to Destinations within ZLA


Aircraft requesting clearances to civil class B or C airports within ZLA are required to be issued the preferred route for the city pair. Preferred routes between class B and C airports are available at simroutes.com. Many of them are also TEC routes, which are discussed in the next section.

Aircraft requesting clearances to ZLA military class B or C airports, or any class D, E, or G airport within ZLA need only be issued a route that comply with other SOPs (all of these requirements are discussed in this study guide).

For example, an aircraft requesting clearance to LAS must be issued the preferred route listed in simroutes. A jet departing LAX must be issued LOOP6 DAG CLARR2, LOOP6 DAG KEPEC2, LOOP6 DAG CLARR2, or LOOP6 DAG KEPEC2. You may use RNAV versions of those SIDS, but otherwise no other route is acceptable.

Even though simroutes lists a route for LAX-GCN, an aircraft requesting clearance from LAX to GCN has more route flexibility (since GCN is a class D airport). Its route need only comply with section 2-2-1 above. So, its initial route must be a SID with an approved transition point. Ensure these aircraft have a SID in their cleared route. A number of SIDs will work; in west ops, these include the LOOP, LAXX, OSHNN, or HOLTZ departures.

TEC Routes


The FAA has created a set of routes to be used for aircraft flying between most Southern California airports. These are called Terminal Enroute Control (TEC) routes. These may be found in the Airport/Facility Directory (available at this FAA page), Simroutes, or by selecting the TEC Routes link on the ZLA home page. The easiest source to use is simroutes since it provides routing information for individual airport pairs.

The TEC routes are broken down into aircraft classes. "J" class routes are for jets, "M" class routes are for turboprops, and "P" or "Q" class routes are for piston powered aircraft. If you are unsure what aircraft class a certain type is, refer to the 7110.65 Appendix A, or the GH aircraft utility referenced above. Almost every aircraft type is listed in that appendix. The engine type is the second character under "Description." The appendix uses "J" for jet engines, "T" for turboprop engines, and "P" for piston powered engines. For example, if you were looking for a route for a C441 and didn't know anything about that aircraft type, head to Appendix A first. Search it for "C441" and you'll see "2T/S" in the description column. The "T" indicates that it is powered by turboprop engines. We know from what we discussed above that turboprop aircraft should be routed using TEC routes and altitudes given for "M" class aircraft.

TEC routes include a cruise altitude. The clearance issued should ensure the pilot is assigned an "expect" altitude appropriate for the TEC route (i.e. "expect niner thousand five minutes after departure").

Aircraft are required to be routed via a TEC route if one is available. Exceptions must be coordinated with the appropriate radar controller, if online. For the test, always issue the appropriate TEC route.

The initial route out of LAX or BUR should be a SID that will connect the pilot with the TEC route. Many of the LAX TEC routes already include a SID. The BUR routes will not, since those routes are shared with other nearby airports that don't have the same SIDs. For example, the route from BUR to ONT begins with V186. In this case, issue the ELMOO SID since it ends at a fix which is on V186. The route to SBA begins at FIM; in this case issue the VNY SID, which has a FIM transition after which the pilot can fly the TEC route.

TEC routes all have coded names for ease of filing. For example, the route from LAX-SAN during normal ops for a Jet has the code LAXN11. Aircraft may file this code in lieu of the whole route.

Note- A special feature of the TEC system is that pilots do NOT have to file a flightplan in order to receive a clearance. Pilots asking to use this feature often will call up for "tower enroute" to a particular destination airport. Aircraft using this method need to be read a full-route clearance to their destination airport, and a flight strip must be created for them when controlling, but otherwise are handled like any other aircraft.

2-3. Destinations Outside of ZLA for which we have Letters of Agreement (ZOA, ZLC, ZDV, and ZAB)


To facilitate movement of aircraft between ZLA and our neighboring ARTCCs, we have agreed to ensure that aircraft are issued certain STARs in their routes. The clearance delivery controller is responsible for ensuring that the clearance he/she issues complies with the Letters of Agreement we have with our neighbors. These LOAs are available on the ZLA website using the "SOPs & LOAs" link.

For example, our LOA with ZAB ARTCC requires that an aircraft departing LAX for PHX crusing above FL240 be routed via BLH and then either the ARLIN or GEELA STAR. The clearance delivery controller at LAX is responsible for ensuring that the routing by which the aircraft is cleared complies with this requirement.

Our LOA with ZOA ARTCC requires different STARs for SFO, OAK, and SJC depending on the runway configuration in use at those airports. You can determine the runway in use by contacting the LAX_CTR controller or one of the ZOA controllers. For example, when landing west, OAK requires a routing via the GMN or AVE and then via the PXN STAR. When OAK is landing east, the required routing is via GMN or AVE and then via the COMMO STAR. If the test does not specify a configuration for SJC/OAK/SFO, presume that they are using west operations.

The route issued to aircraft covered by our LOAs only needs to comply with the LOA prescribed routing and the initial routing requirements discussed in section 2-2-1 above. For example, an aircraft requesting clearance between LAX and DEN need only fly a SID (based on section 2-2-1 above) and the POWDR STAR to DEN (based on our LOA with ZDV). A number of routes could comply with these requirements. The pilot could be cleared via LOOP6 DAG LAS TBC HBU POWDR7, or HOLTZ9 TRM EED TBC HBU POWDR7, or any other route combination that complies with the initial routing requirements and our LOA with ZDV.

Review each of the LOAs so that you are prepared to issue the correct routing to aircraft. Ensure that each of your test answers complies with all LOA provisions.

2-4. Destinations Outside of ZLA for which we have no agreements


If an aircraft requests a clearance to an airport outside ZLA, for which we have no LOA, any routing is acceptable so long as you comply with the other routing SOPs. For example, an aircraft requesting a clearance between LAX and JFK has a large range of routing choices. The only requirement for the clearance is that the pilot be cleared via an appropriate SID. GMN4.EHF, LOOP6.DAG, HOLTZ9.TRM, and KARVR3.IPL would all be acceptable (as would any other SID that's appropriate for the direction of departures at LAX).
2-5. Summary


This section provides a "checklist" for examining a route. If you follow these guidelines when evaluating a route, you will always end up issuing a route that complies with all requirements.

When you examine the route filed by a pilot, first determine if the destination airport is covered by a TEC route. If the destination airport is covered by a TEC route, issue a clearance via the routing given in the TEC route, and ensure the pilot is assigned the cruise altitude given for the TEC route.

If the destination airport is not covered by a TEC route, then determine if the destination is a civilian class B or C airport within ZLA. If it is, issue an appropriate route from simroutes. The cruise altitude need only be correct for direction of flight (see the next section for more).

If the destination airport is not covered by a TEC route and is not a ZLA civilian class B/C airport, then determine if it is covered by an LOA with one of our neighbors. If it is covered by an LOA, then issue a route that complies with the LOA and also ensures that the route includes a SID or mimics a SID (as discussed in 2-2-1 above). A few of our LOAs specify a maximum cruise altitude, or assign different procedures depending on the final altitude of the aircraft; ensure these requirements are met in your clearance. Routes from Simroutes will comply with our LOAs.

If the destination airport is not covered by a TEC route, is not a civilian class B/C airport, and is not covered by an LOA, then any route is acceptable, so long as the aircraft is issued a SID or a route that mimics a SID.

As was stated at the beginning of this section, the goal of this process is to clear a pilot by a route that is close to (or the same as) his filed optimum route. Only issue changes to the pilot's route that are needed to comply with our SOPs.

2-6. Phraseology and Miscellaneous


2-6-1. SIDs and STARS


Certain SIDS and STARS are pronounceable, as evidenced by the name of the departure procedure in the top left portion of the chart. For example, the VNY8 departure out of VNY, available http://www.laartcc.org/charts/BUR-DP-VNY8.PDF(external link) is pronounced on the radio as Van Nuys Eight Departure. On the other hand, the ELMOO5 departure is pronounced ELMOO Five Departure. The easy way to check for this is to read the name of the procedure in the top left portion of the chart. For this test, use the name of the departure procedure on the top left side in your answer.

2-6-2. Reading Routes


If no changes are required in a route, and a SID/Transition is not being used, clear the aircraft "as filed".

Example:
"American One Twenty Three, cleared to Grand Canyon Airport as filed."

If no changes are required in a route, and a SID is being used, but not a transition, then say the name of the departure, followed by "then as filed."

Example:
"Skywest Sixty Fifty-Two, cleared to Palm Springs Airport, Seal Beach Five Departure, then as filed."

  • Note: Transitions are not the same as exit fixes, but are small route segments published on a departure procedure. For example, the LAXX6 departure has a TRM transition, but not a SLI one. This is easily seen by reading the bottom of a departure plate in the narrative section.

If no changes are required in a route, but a SID and Transition are being used, then say the name of the departure, name of the transition, followed by "then as filed".

Example:
"Delta Seventy Four, cleared to Atlanta Hartsfield Airport, HOLTZ Nine Departure, Thermal Transition, then as filed."

Note:Even though the routes of these aircraft were fine, you still must always explicitly issue a SID and Transition if they are intended to be used.

Exception:
Aircraft filing a TEC route by its Coded Name need not be read the SID and Transition if this information is explicitly included in the TEC route, and are cleared via the name of the TEC route, such as "American Six, cleared via the LAX Mike Ten TEC route".

If changes are required in a route, then read a Full Route Clearance to the point where the filed route meets up with the assigned route. If there is not one, and the route does not end with a STAR, and the clearance limit is an airport, then end with the word "direct", to signify that the airport is the end of the route. There is no formula to reading a full route clearance, but the following tips are helpful:

Phraseology:
-Aircraft "join" an airway, "track" a radial, and "intercept" a localizer. Radials are most commonly seen in TEC routes. If you see something like MZB320R, that means Mission Bay 320 Radial.

-Low altitude airways are pronounced by the word Victor, and the numbers of the airway in individual form, for example "Victor Two Three One", while High altitude airways are pronounced the same way except with "Jay" in front.

2-6-3. Equipment Suffixes


If assigning a route, remember that certain aircraft are limited to navigating via VORs and radials, while other aircraft can go direct to places(RNAV/GPS type equipment). Try not to assign routings that are outside the aircrafts capabilities, and never assign a SID/STAR that a pilot cannot fly because his equipment does not allow it. The following equipment suffixes can fly RNAV SIDS/STARS:
/E
/F
/G
/R
/J
/K
/L
/Q

2-6-4. VOR Names


You can find VOR names on the LA website under "ATC Training Program-VOR List", the ZLA Fact Sheet, available at "ATC Training Program-ZLA Fact Sheet", or www.airnav.com.(external link)


3. Altitude ('A' in 'CRAFT')


Just like with the clearance limit, each IFR clearance needs to have altitude information included. This is imperative for a number of reasons. One reason is the need for a pilot to know how much he can climb after departure. This is generally done by assigning the pilot an initial altitude, and then giving him the time or place when/where he can expect higher. This as well as allowing the pilot to plan his departure correctly, allows him to know when he can climb to his cruise altitude in case of lost communications.

Sometimes this altitude information is included on the departure procedure chart, in which case it need not be included in the clearance.

3-1. Initial Altitude


At Both Los Angeles and Burbank, the initial altitude is 5000 feet, UNLESS the requested cruise altitude is lower, in which case issue that altitude instead.

Use the phraseology.. "maintain (altitude)" to assign an initial altitude.

Phraseology:
"United Seven Ninety Three...maintain five thousand,..."

  • Note: When using an abbreviated departure clearance, as these will be, do not use "climb and maintain" to assign an initial altitude.

3-2. Final Altitude


Most final altitudes for clearances follow the NEodd/SWeven rule.

Before getting into the flight direction rules it's probably a good idea to go over a few basic terms that every controller should know that pertain to altitudes and pressure.

  • Altitude - The vertical position of an aircraft (or object) above Mean Sea Level (MSL).

  • Flight Level - A standard nominal altitude (usually vertical) of an aircraft, referenced to a world-wide fixed pressure datum. In the United States a Flight Level starts at 18,000 MSL because the Transition Altitude starts at 18,000 ft.

  • Transition Altitude - The highest altitude at which an aircraft in normal operation should use an altimeter pressure setting indicating height above mean sea level (QNH).

  • Transition Level - The lowest flight level available for use above the transition altitude.

  • Transition Layer - The airspace between the transition altitude and the transition level.

To ensure safe separations between aircraft above the transition level, flight levels have been allocated to aircraft according to their direction of flight. This is the semi-circular cruising level system also known as the NEODD-SWEVEN Rule.

NEODD - Aircraft flying North or East (0 to 179 MAGNETIC COURSE) will be issued odd altitudes up to and including FL410. Above FL410 aircraft will still be given odd altitudes yet at intervals of 4000 ft (i.e. FL450, FL490, FL530).

SWEVEN - Aircraft flying South or West (180 to 359 MAGNETIC COURSE) will be issued even altitudes up to and including FL400. Above FL400 aircraft will be given odd altitudes yet at intervals of 4000 ft beginning at FL430 (i.e. FL470, FL510, FL550)

Note: Remember that TEC routes also have altitude assignments that go along with them. These are MANDATORY to assign, and may or may not comply with the rules above.

Note: You should normally assigned the altitude the pilot requests for his final altitude, unless that altitude fails to comply with the above rules. If it does not, pick a reasonable altitude as close as possible to the one the pilot requested.

Note: Although in real life aircraft need to be RVSM qualified to operate between above FL290, as indicated by the equipment suffix, on VATSIM all aircraft are considered RVSM qualified, and regardless of equipment suffix may cruise in RVSM airspace.

Hint: In general, airports in ZOA and ZSE(Oakland and Seattle ARTCCs) are west of LAX/BUR, while most other airports are east. Assign altitudes appropriately.

Phraseology:
Pronounce Altitudes below 18000' by stating the numbers in front of the comma in individual form, followed by the word "thousand", and the numbers after it in group form. If the numbers after the comma are all zeros, then end on "thousand". Aircraft should be told to expect their final altitude 5 minutes after departure. For example;

Example: "November Seven Two One Sierra Papa...expect One Three Thousand five minutes after departure". "Skywest Seven Ninety Four...expect Seven Thousand five minutes after departure".

Pronounce altitudes above 18000' by stating "Flight Level", followed by the the first three digits of the altitude, in individual form.

Example: "American Six Sixteen....expect Flight Level Two Four Zero Five Minutes after departure."


4. Departure Frequency ('F' in 'CRAFT')


The Departure Frequency for an airport is the frequency of the controller that will work the aircraft immediately after takeoff. At LAX when fully sectorized, this sector will be LAX_DEP, on 124.3. At BUR, it will be BUR_APP on 134.2. When we are not fully sectorized, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are abreast of the controller currently working departures from the airport you are clearing. For the purposes of this test, you can assume that we are fully sectorized. In each clearance, you must inform the pilot of the frequency of the departure controller, as follows.

Phraseology:
"American One Twenty Three..., departure frequency one two four point three"
"Delta Zero Seven Six..., departure frequency one three four point two"



5. Transponder Code ('T' in 'CRAFT')


The Squawk Code is normally assigned using the F9/Assign Squawk Command in VRC. For the purposes of this test, if a squawk code is not assigned in the question, you may use any reasonable squawk code. Remember that squawk codes use only the numbers 0-7 inclusive, so there will not be squawk codes such as "9871". Squawk codes are read out by pronouncing each number individually, as follows:

Phraseology:
"Seneca Eight Seven Delta Romeo..., squawk one zero six four."
"Express Jet Six Forty..., squawk seven six five four."