AIM 5-2-6

ATC facilities will issue an abbreviated IFR departure clearance based on the ROUTE of flight filed in the IFR flight plan, provided the filed route can be approved with little or no revision. These abbreviated clearance procedures are based on the following conditions: The aircraft is on the ground or it has departed visual flight rules (VFR) and the pilot is requesting IFR clearance while airborne.

That a pilot will not accept an abbreviated clearance if the route or destination of a flight plan filed with ATC has been changed by the pilot or the company or the operations officer before departure.

That it is the responsibility of the company or operations office to inform the pilot when they make a change to the filed flight plan.

That it is the responsibility of the pilot to inform ATC in the initial call‐up (for clearance) when the filed flight plan has been either: Amended, or

Canceled and replaced with a new filed flight plan. NOTE-

The facility issuing a clearance may not have received the revised route or the revised flight plan by the time a pilot requests clearance.

Controllers will issue a detailed clearance when they know that the original filed flight plan has been changed or when the pilot requests a full route clearance.

The clearance as issued will include the destination airport filed in the flight plan.

ATC procedures now require the controller to state the DP name, the current number and the DP transition name after the phrase “Cleared to (destination) airport” and prior to the phrase, “then as filed,” for ALL departure clearances when the DP or DP transition is to be flown. The procedures apply whether or not the DP is filed in the flight plan.

STARs, when filed in a flight plan, are considered a part of the filed route of flight and will not normally be stated in an initial departure clearance. If the ARTCC's jurisdictional airspace includes both the departure airport and the fix where a STAR or STAR transition begins, the STAR name, the current number and the STAR transition name MAY be stated in the initial clearance.

“Cleared to (destination) airport as filed” does NOT include the en route altitude filed in a flight plan. An en route altitude will be stated in the clearance or the pilot will be advised to expect an assigned or filed altitude within a given time frame or at a certain point after departure. This may be done verbally in the departure instructions or stated in the DP.

In both radar and nonradar environments, the controller will state “Cleared to (destination) airport as filed” or: 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 frequency, beacon code assignment, etc.) necessary to clear a departing aircraft via the DP or DP transition and the route filed. EXAMPLE-

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

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-

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

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-

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.

Additionally, in a nonradar environment, the controller will specify one or more fixes, as necessary, to identify the initial route of flight. EXAMPLE-

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

To ensure success of the program, pilots should: Avoid making changes to a filed flight plan just prior to departure.

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 appropriate) American Seventy Six at gate one, IFR Los Angeles.”

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.”

Request verification or clarification from ATC if ANY portion of the clearance is not clearly understood.

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-

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