Got a cruise clearance today

[RobertGary1]

Been probably 20 years since I’d been issued a cruise clearance. It wasn’t even that slow there were multiple planes going into the airport. Kind of nice. 
Last time I got one I mentioned it to a friend who is atc. He said somewhere a controller is telling all his friends that today he gave someone a cruise clearance. 

[Ragsf15e]

Ha!  Been doing this 30+ years and never even heard one given!

I forgot, what’s different than vfr on top clearance?

Still need to remain vmc?

Edited February 16, 2021 by Ragsf15e

[RobertGary1]

1 minute ago, Ragsf15e said:

Ha!  Been doing this 30+ years and never even heard one given!

I forgot, what’s different than vfr on top clearance?

Still need to remain vmc?

It’s an ultimate ifr clearance. You can fly any altitude above mea and shoot any approach you want. 

[Ragsf15e]

Wow, where were you, middle of central NV going into Ely?!

[RobertGary1]

Just now, Ragsf15e said:

Wow, where were you, middle of central NV going into Ely?!

Going into mather sacramento. Kind of busy too. 

[MikeOH]

It's been awhile, but I asked for and received one in northern California. Haven't tried recently.

2 minutes ago, RobertGary1 said:

It’s an ultimate ifr clearance. You can fly any altitude above mea and shoot any approach you want. 

I believe you are restricted to only those altitudes below the one given in the clearance.  And, if you report leaving an altitude descending (you don't have to, however) you can't climb back above that altitude.

What's rarer than hen's teeth, in SoCal, anyway, is a through clearance!

[Hank]

9 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

Wow, where were you, middle of central NV going into Ely?!

You know you're in the boonies when Tower clears you to land on 30 and you're still 12 nm to the NW of the field . . . . Used to happen regularly at KHTS Huntington, WV.  

[MisfitSELF]

I once got an IFR clearance in So Cal that was roughly:  "Cleared to your destination, own navigation, altitude at your digression"    It was a rare weather day on a Sunday in the Mojave desert and I think I was the only one approach was dealing with.  I was just shooting approaches at a local airport and the weather was low enough to get some actual as a bonus.

[PT20J]

Only got one once: Anchorage to Kodiak. Anchorage center gave it to me at the handoff from Anchorage approach. Guess they had better things to do .

[RobertGary1]

5 minutes ago, PT20J said:

Only got one once: Anchorage to Kodiak. Anchorage center gave it to me at the handoff from Anchorage approach. Guess they had better things to do .

It certainly seems like the “I don’t care” clearance. 

[Ibra]

12 hours ago, RobertGary1 said:

It’s an ultimate ifr clearance. You can fly any altitude above mea and shoot any approach you want.

You have to land at some point? or there is a time limit? or you can just go on until you are told to stop 

[RobertGary1]

7 minutes ago, Ibra said:

You have to land at some point? or there is a time limit? or you can just go on until you are told to stop 

It has a clearance limit. I didn’t list out all the pieces from the aim but it’s a very wide open clearance. It’s also something atc can issue without being asked for (I didn’t expect it). 

[GeeBee]

Used to get them all the time when I flew checks. Late night, nobody is around.

 

[FlyingDude]

Joke, joke all of you, if you will.

Those of us who have had the "privilege" of flying in Europe (had EASA CPL, MEL, Acrobatic), know what it means to request clearances into C, D airspace (like we do with B here) and have to hold (i.e. circle) over entry points into C or D airspaces for 20, sometimes 40 minutes because they had a "departing" airplane...  (Over Volpiano, trying to enter Caselle.  Watched a plane from gate to takeoff)…  Entire NW Italy covered under a Class A airspace starting at 2000 AGL...  Notams prohibiting people entering into G spaces (Garda Lake).  FIR controllers (similar to centers in US) asking you to go lower and lower in G spaces north of Malpensa airport (Maggiore Lake), even if it's G above you for another 1500', because they are using RWY 36...  Airports open sunrise-sunset, or even more reduced hours.  No night VFR (allowed only during commercial training)…

Add to that all the bureaucracy and exorbitant fuel prices and landing fees.

US is the aviation's paradise...  Don't forget that.

Edited February 16, 2021 by FlyingDude

[Immelman]

Nice! Did you request it or was it just given?

I did once in a turboprop Beech going into Show Low.

I think the ultimate ultimate clearance is "cruise through" for a short stop. Never managed to score that one.

[RobertGary1]

31 minutes ago, Immelman said:

Nice! Did you request it or was it just given?

I did once in a turboprop Beech going into Show Low.

I think the ultimate ultimate clearance is "cruise through" for a short stop. Never managed to score that one.

Didn't request it. It was a solid IMC day from 800 feet up and moderate turb the entire time. I was doing 6 approaches, mixing between ILS and RNAV. I had just flown the published missed to the hold (currency) and requested another approach. I think it was her way to avoid having to ask which approach I want since they all fly the same. 

Maybe at some point the FAA will allow controllers to issue precision approach clearance to a runway and the controller doesn't have to care if its ILS or RNAV.

-Robert

[RLCarter]

Hmmm, ATC will issue you a “Local IFR” clearance down here, so you don’t have to file a round robin when shooting approaches 

[RobertGary1]

24 minutes ago, RLCarter said:

Hmmm, ATC will issue you a “Local IFR” clearance down here, so you don’t have to file a round robin when shooting approaches 

But do they assign you a route/heading and altitude or can you get a cruise clearance?

[RLCarter]

2 hours ago, RobertGary1 said:

But do they assign you a route/heading and altitude or can you get a cruise clearance?

Sometimes, generally just ask what you would like next