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Filing Direct

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 1:11 am
by Rich
I'll be flying this weekend generally East of the Rockies to and among various destinations in the Midwest. I would like to be flying IFR and file direct to various destinations across Eastern Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota. With my dual WAAS navigators and totally non-challenging terrain I'd love to just file direct.

But these days does ATC generally accept flight plans with this routing outside terminal areas and such? Or should I expect to get juked around over the empty plains 'twixt the Mississippi and the Rockies?

Re: Filing Direct

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 10:57 am
by midlifeflyer
No reason not to try. There might be some routing issues near busier areas - if you are flying out of metro Denver, for example the PLAINS SID is common. But in a lot of that area direct routings are common. There is the AIM guidance of selecting at least one waypoint in each Center but not everyone follows it. And if the Center computer gives you something else, you can always ask for a shortcut once enroute (if ATC doesn't just offer it).

Re: Filing Direct

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 11:01 am
by Tim H
My experience in flying from my base in Ohio to Michigan, Florida, Kansas, Virginia have all been “Direct”. The only exception has been flying around the Class B airspace in Tampa. I think east of the Rockies and west of Pennsylvania is pretty much all “Direct” except around Class “B” airspace.

Would be interested to hear others experiences.

Re: Filing Direct

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 1:04 pm
by AndrewM
My 2 cents... I am finding it more and more common even when on a flight plan with multiple fixes for controllers to proactively give you direct routing, except of course when going through busy airspaces. So... I would file direct and see what happens!

Re: Filing Direct

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 1:27 pm
by Rich
Thanks for the responses. We'll see how it goes.

Re: Filing Direct

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 3:46 pm
by Colin
Having just flown through a bunch of that countryside, the controllers are nice and very accomodating. As mentioned above, if there's Class B in the way they might re-route you, but you can probably figure that out yourself and if there's Class B ahead then file a route (or altitude) which keeps you out of it.

Re: Filing Direct

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 4:04 pm
by TimS
Well, I have always chosen Direct for years. However, on my recent trip from Boston to DC; the first controller in Boston said unable and to refile. He then proceeded to ignore the next two calls, and waited until I was in the next controller's airspace and said for me to contact them. Oh, and the reason I file direct; if I choose to file west of NYC and east of PHL, they route me over NYC. If I file over NYC, they route me west of NYC.... I gave up trying to guess which route I will get.

Tim

Re: Filing Direct

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 4:13 pm
by YCCA
Generally when flying as low as we do it’s pretty much all direct

Re: Filing Direct

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 9:08 pm
by pietromarx
TimS wrote: Wed Aug 07, 2019 4:04 pm Well, I have always chosen Direct for years. However, on my recent trip from Boston to DC; the first controller in Boston said unable and to refile. He then proceeded to ignore the next two calls, and waited until I was in the next controller's airspace and said for me to contact them. Oh, and the reason I file direct; if I choose to file west of NYC and east of PHL, they route me over NYC. If I file over NYC, they route me west of NYC.... I gave up trying to guess which route I will get.

Tim
I had similar experiences 4x with Boston and NYC controllers. Grrrr.

Re: Filing Direct

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 4:19 am
by ZAV
Will be able to fly direct with some radar vectors around busier airspace. The ForeFlight route advisor is great to see what routes have been recently cleared. You can just sit at home and pick a couple of airports and see what the route of the day is. For our altitudes, you will see a lot of direct clearances.