Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

5 Answers

Small rural airport clearance

Asked by: 3248 views Instrument Rating

Recently moved from large airport area to a rural small airport. When getting IFR clearance (vfr or phone)  Is it likely ARTCC would grant me a vector heading (no approved GPS) about 40 miles to a V airway? If so, should I file it that way or would it be rejected?

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

5 Answers



  1. John D. Collins on Aug 04, 2013

    There is no way I know of to file a vector on a flightplan, although ATC can issue a clearance with one. The same is true to fly a heading to intercept an airway unless it is part of a SID. There is an ATC rule that does not permit issuing an IFR clearance for a non RNAV equipped aircraft that is not within the service volume of a Nav aid. Most commonly, the VOR 40 NM service limit is the one that is exceeded. The rule is not uniformly enforced. What is the airport ID of your new home?

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  2. Mark Kolber on Aug 04, 2013

    I agree with John. AFAIK, there’s even no way to file a pure vector SID (like the DENVER 6 – radar vectors to assigned transition). I think the underlying reason is that the system is still designed to operate in a no radar environment.

    Your best bet is to file a nearby radio fix (typically a VOR but can even be an NDB) to get you on your way.

    At best, your clearance will come back with an “upon entering controlled airspace, fly heading…” in place of that fix.

    At worst, once airborne and in contact with ATC, you can ask for a direct vector to where you want.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  3. jim watkins on Aug 06, 2013

    thanks John & Mark for your quick responses.
    I am located at 3F7 Bristow, OK. Flight is to KABI Abilene, Tx…(route direction appx 205 degrees)
    If leaving 3F7 into immediate
    IMC after getting clearance per phone.
    By the time I get to altitude I would be almost to BARNS intersection on V436.
    But would prefer to get vectors further south to V210.
    I guess your saying file 3F7 OKM V210 . . . . . then request vectors to V210
    oh btw (no adf)

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  4. Mark Kolber on Aug 06, 2013

    If the V210 routing is what you would like, that makes sense. Of course, if you had ADF, direct to SRE would be a pretty good choice. GPS, I’d probably try for direct MINGG

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  5. John D. Collins on Aug 06, 2013

    If I was /A or /U, I would recommend a route that was direct to OKM V161 UKW V16 AIB. Once airborne, I would request vectors to HOLLE to shorten up the route.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.