AIM

8/15/19

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Departure Procedures

g.

In both radar and nonradar environments, the

controller will state “Cleared to (destination) airport
as filed” or:

1.

If a DP or DP transition is to be flown, specify

the DP name, the current DP number, the DP
transition name, the assigned altitude/flight level, and
any additional instructions (departure control fre-
quency, beacon code assignment, etc.) necessary to
clear a departing aircraft via the DP or DP transition
and the route filed.

EXAMPLE

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National Seven Twenty cleared to Miami Airport
Intercontinental one departure, Lake Charles transition
then as filed, maintain Flight Level two seven zero.

2.

When there is no DP or when the pilot cannot

accept a DP, the controller will specify the assigned
altitude or flight level, and any additional instructions
necessary to clear a departing aircraft via an
appropriate departure routing and the route filed.

NOTE

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A detailed departure route description or a radar vector
may be used to achieve the desired departure routing.

3.

If it is necessary to make a minor revision to

the filed route, the controller will specify the assigned
DP or DP transition (or departure routing), the
revision to the filed route, the assigned altitude or
flight level and any additional instructions necessary
to clear a departing aircraft.

EXAMPLE

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Jet Star One Four Two Four cleared to Atlanta Airport,
South Boston two departure then as filed except change
route to read South Boston Victor 20 Greensboro, maintain
one seven thousand.

4.

Additionally, in a nonradar environment, the

controller will specify one or more fixes, as
necessary, to identify the initial route of flight.

EXAMPLE

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Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot cleared to Charlotte
Airport as filed via Brooke, maintain seven thousand.

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

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“Washington clearance delivery (or ground control if
appropriate) 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

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“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
understood.

5.

When requesting clearance for the IFR

portion of a VFR/IFR flight, request such clearance
prior to the fix where IFR operation is proposed to
commence in sufficient time to avoid delay. Use the
following phraseology:

EXAMPLE

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“Los Angeles center, Apache Six One Papa, VFR
estimating Paso Robles VOR at three two, one thousand
five hundred, request IFR to Bakersfield.”

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7. 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
depart 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

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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.