Direct routes using GPS

[soarby007]

In the AIM, it recommends that you file a waypoint in each ARTCC. Does anyone really do this? One guy I fly with insists on filing a waypoint within a few miles from the departure airport, crossing VOR's every couple of hundred miles. I spoke with Flight Service and the Center and they don't care anymore. They say it's ok to file an 800 mile leg.

 

[GravityHater]

I have filed and flown direct most of the way cross the country without the 'required' waypoints for several years now. I think to fulfil the letter of the law you have to do the wps like your friend so diligently does but in practice... the reality of the situation now is.... fuggetaboudit.
Either the law will catch up with reality one day, or they will leave it there in order to nail one of us for some obscure related or unrelated reason.

 

[THE Flying Ace]

When we fly out of Minneapolis, we will file the transition VOR which is only about 70 miles out, then fly directly to Ocala VOR which is about 1000 miles away and ATC doesn't say a thing. When flying out of the east coast, you get Jet routes, so there you are flying from fix to fix. When we get maybe a 100 to 200 miles out of NYC, then we get cleared direct to our arrival fix which is about 600-700 miles out.

So to answer you question, no, you don't have to file a fix that is within every center boundary.

 

[User546]

Are we talking about low-altitude, single or light twin-engine flying here? Or are we talking about high-altitude, jet / turboprop flying?

 

[FlyingSig]

I file direct everywhere (with the exception of ICAO flight plans). If ATC wants you on a certain route, you'll get that in your initial clearance (or thereafter)

 

[JediNein]

Are we talking about low-altitude, single or light twin-engine flying here? Or are we talking about high-altitude, jet / turboprop flying?

Low-altitude singles have a difficult time making a 1000 mile leg.

Some ATCers have asked for a departure VOR and a destination-area VOR when flying long legs across Centers.

Low-altitude singles and twins, I find most of the flights are within one Center, and I can file and be cleared direct from the last point on the departure procedure to the final approach fix. The only spots that cause difficulty are those with high terrain, active MOAs, or Restricted areas. Two that do not work are IFR GPS Direct on the back side of the Sierras or DAG direct PMD.

Three articles on the subject:
http://avweb.com/news/columns/186645-1.html
http://avweb.com/news/columns/187682-1.html
http://avweb.com/news/columns/189197-1.html

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein

 

[CapnVegetto]

I file direct everywhere with 2 exceptions:

1. Flying an arrival. I'll file direct to the first fix on the arrival from wherever I'm coming from, then the arrival.

2. In busy areas....like the northeast. I file preferred routes. They're found in the Enroute section of jepp plates. We go to Teterboro all the time, and that's one place that it's done. Of course, it doesn't really matter what you file, because if you file direct, they're just going to put you where they need you anyway. It just makes it easier on you.

When in doubt, just file direct. If ATC needs you to move, they'll move you. If you're headed to a hot restricted area, they'll move you around it. It's not necessary to file fixes in ARTCC's. All they're going to do is put you where they want you anyway.

 

[GravityHater]

Are we talking about low-altitude, single or light twin-engine flying here? Or are we talking about high-altitude, jet / turboprop flying?

my post referred to class A airspace, I don't fly to&from large cities so I haven't been on a jet route in ages, always /F (now/Q) direct. A fair bit of altitude restriction when I do this as in, "unable higher due to xing traffic for 5 minutes"

And of course, D-> below 180 in smaller a/c has pretty much always been available if airspace permits, no filing of wp's. I often do it when /A but that is another bone of fiery contention to some people (but not the controllers).

 

[flyboy]

I file direct everywhere (with the exception of ICAO flight plans). If ATC wants you on a certain route, you'll get that in your initial clearance (or thereafter)

Like he said. If you go through a bunch of charts to determine the best route for a 1000 mile flight you'll spend a lot of time getting the flight plan together. Even then, there's a good chance atc will give you something else on the clearance. Save your time and file direct. Let atc give you any updates when retrieving clearance.

 

[Vector4fun]

The problem with not filing a fix every couple hundred miles is that it sometimes causes problems with the flight plan processing. In simple terms, the ATC computers need to be able to accurately project you flight path so your Flight Plan info, (strips) go to the correct sector, and so the automated handoff functions correctly. (Hands off to the correct sector).

If you're using GPS, the fix need not be a VOR, but those are best. You can use an airfield identifier or published intersection. It's really not normally that hard to pick a fix of some sort every couple hundred miles to define your desired route. The fact that you might make a 5 degree dog-leg in the middle of a 400 mile trip isn't going to add diddly to your ETA or fuel burn.

Departing and Arriving, the NAS will most often assign a DP and/or STAR, if appropriate, whether you file it or not, and the controller will simply issue that. Problems occur when we have to keep amending the route to get the NAS to process the clearance properly and update the progress of the flight. I hate having to take my eyes off of the scope to go "fix" a flight plan when it's busy, and all controllers hate verbal coordination with another facility when it's busy. It can get darn near impossible to find 20 seconds when one or the other of us isn't busy talking to aircraft. This leads to having to repeat ourselves several times, and causes us to have to then "catch up" on our next dozen tasks.

This is less of a problem in the high, enroute sectors, where sector boundries may be 100 miles or more apart. When you get down to below 14,000 though, sector or airspace boundries may only be 20-30 miles apart. Every sector needs a strip and a handoff or point out.

It really doesn't bug me that pilots don't know the correct DP or STAR to file. How would they unless the FAA had better publications? I just appreciate those that make the effort. When I get one that files diredt to destination 400 or more miles away though, without even an effort to define a route, then lets just say I don't feel too bad about the NAS routing them via victor airways for the first 100 or so miles. I realize that someone other than the crew files many flight plans for the fractionals and larger corporate operators, and perhaps some of the Web based FP services are also part of the problem.

I do offer and generate a lot of "shortcuts", asked for or not, when I have time for such. But there are times I just can't stop vectoring long enough to fix a lousy routing. Having help at the position works, but there normally isn't any unless a Supe helps out. We don't have enuf controller bodies anymore to staff a Handoff or "helper" position.

 

[paulsalem]

Nas???

 

[Vector4fun]

Nas???

National Airspace System. Basically, the Host computers at the Centers, and ARTS or STARS computer systems in the terminals.