AIM
4/3/14
5−2−4
Departure Procedures
h.
To ensure success of the program, pilots should:
1.
Avoid making changes to a filed flight plan
just prior to departure.
2.
State the following information in the initial
call-up to the facility when no change has been made
to the filed flight plan: Aircraft call sign, location,
type operation (IFR) and the name of the airport (or
fix) to which you expect clearance.
EXAMPLE
−
“Washington clearance delivery (or ground control if ap-
propriate) American Seventy Six at gate one, IFR
Los Angeles.”
3.
If the flight plan has been changed, state the
change and request a full route clearance.
EXAMPLE
−
“Washington clearance delivery, American Seventy Six at
gate one. IFR San Francisco. My flight plan route has been
amended (or destination changed). Request full route
clearance.”
4.
Request verification or clarification from
ATC if ANY portion of the clearance is not clearly un-
derstood.
5.
When requesting clearance for the IFR por-
tion of a VFR/IFR flight, request such clearance prior
to the fix where IFR operation is proposed to com-
mence in sufficient time to avoid delay. Use the
following phraseology:
EXAMPLE
−
“Los Angeles center, Apache Six One Papa, VFR estimat-
ing Paso Robles VOR at three two, one thousand five
hundred, request IFR to Bakersfield.”
5
−
2
−
6. Departure Restrictions, Clearance
Void Times, Hold for Release, and Release
Times
a.
ATC may assign departure restrictions, clear-
ance void times, hold for release, and release times,
when necessary, to separate departures from other
traffic or to restrict or regulate the departure flow.
1. Clearance Void Times.
A pilot may receive
a clearance, when operating from an airport without
a control tower, which contains a provision for the
clearance to be void if not airborne by a specific time.
A pilot who does not depart prior to the clearance void
time must advise ATC as soon as possible of their
intentions. ATC will normally advise the pilot of the
time allotted to notify ATC that the aircraft did not de-
part prior to the clearance void time. This time cannot
exceed 30 minutes. Failure of an aircraft to contact
ATC within 30 minutes after the clearance void time
will result in the aircraft being considered overdue
and search and rescue procedures initiated.
NOTE
−
1. Other IFR traffic for the airport where the clearance is
issued is suspended until the aircraft has contacted ATC or
until 30 minutes after the clearance void time or 30 minutes
after the clearance release time if no clearance void time
is issued.
2. Pilots who depart at or after their clearance void time
are not afforded IFR separation and may be in violation of
14 CFR Section 91.173 which requires that pilots receive
an appropriate ATC clearance before operating IFR in
controlled airspace.
EXAMPLE
−
Clearance void if not off by (clearance void time) and, if re-
quired, if not off by (clearance void time) advise (facility)
not later than (time) of intentions.
2. Hold for Release.
ATC may issue “hold for
release” instructions in a clearance to delay an air-
craft’s departure for traffic management reasons (i.e.,
weather, traffic volume, etc.). When ATC states in the
clearance, “hold for release,” the pilot may not depart
utilizing that IFR clearance until a release time or
additional instructions are issued by ATC. In addi-
tion, ATC will include departure delay information in
conjunction with “hold for release” instructions. The
ATC instruction, “hold for release,” applies to the IFR
clearance and does not prevent the pilot from depart-
ing under VFR. However, prior to takeoff the pilot
should cancel the IFR flight plan and operate the
transponder on the appropriate VFR code. An IFR
clearance may not be available after departure.
EXAMPLE
−
(Aircraft identification) cleared to (destination) airport as
filed, maintain (altitude), and, if required (additional in-
structions or information), hold for release, expect (time in
hours and/or minutes) departure delay.
3. Release Times.
A “release time” is a depar-
ture restriction issued to a pilot by ATC, specifying
the earliest time an aircraft may depart. ATC will use
“release times” in conjunction with traffic manage-
ment procedures and/or to separate a departing
aircraft from other traffic.
EXAMPLE
−
(Aircraft identification) released for departure at (time in
hours and/or minutes).