Picking up a clearance won't shut down an airport for inbound or outbound traffic unless a 'release' is given.. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.. I pick up a clearance all the time than go back into the FBO.. Getting a clearance, than being told 'hold for release, will clear airspace for a departure, or make room for an arrival..
Yeah, just getting a clearance won't close the airport for ifr, as long as you are not released. That's why I ask for a hold for release clearance, so I can get the box programed, and be ready for the passengers so we can load up and go. What I was talking about is the guy who gets the clearance AND is released, then goes inside to wait for passengers, fuel, etc.
I guess a better rant should have been at the guy picks up a Release and then goes inside the fbo to eat a sandwich.
If I am at the end of the runway, number one, ready, then I'll just call for my ifr clearance, get the plane's fms and radios set up, and blast off. If I am sitting on the ramp, I'll call and tell atc I'm looking for a hold for release clearance, so they don't issue me the clearance and expect me to pop up on radar in a minute or two.
It really comes down to the assumption the controller makes when they hear an aircraft call for a clearance. In areas where there is poor radar coverage, lots of traffic, etc, then they tend to almost always issue hold for release clearances. In areas where radar coverage is good, and traffic is not heavy, controllers tend to either issue a void times, or sometimes just release the traffic as soon as they call.
Needless to say, if the controller assumes the plane calling is ready, and issues the "readback correct, report airborne you are released" in the one transmission then the plane sits for an hour waiting for passengers it causes problems. (It may even start SAR operations in the worse case.)
After a controller has been bit in the butt enough times, they tend to either ask if you are number one ready to go, or just issue a five to ten minute void time.
Before I worked for NetJets, I was flying for a regional airliner into North Platte, Nebraska, and an Execjet did just that, picked up a clearance, was told report airborne (controller did not issue a hold for release, or a void time, and the pilot did not tell atc that he was waiting for passengers.) I needed an ILS approach due to a small 50 foot thick cloud layer with 2000 foot base. I wound up holding for 45 minutes, and was 5 minutes away from diverting to another airport. The whole time the controller is getting pissed that this guy hadn't blasted off yet, and kept asking me to contact the unicom for her and find out if the jet was still on the fbo ramp.
After finding out from the fbo that the jet hadn't moved, the engines were not running, it alleviated my concern this jet had crashed on takeoff, but atc still could not let me fly the ils inbound, as she couldn't take the fbo's word about the plane still on the ground. Needless to say I was calling the fbo and trying to get them to find the pilots and get them back on the radio. I think that by the time the execjet finally called up because the fbo told him atc was looking for them the stack had grown to 3 or 4 planes all holding due to this guy.
Oh and to add insult to injury, when I went to pick up my IFR clearance (number one at the end of the runway) I was told that the same execjet had called number one short of the runway, been released and I would get my clearance when he showed up any second on atc radar. Then I heard his call sign on unicom, BEHIND ME asking for me to move out of his way so he could taxi on the runway to take off.
I have never been so tempted in my life to just set the parking brake and block this guy from taking off for 1/2 hour or so to teach him a lesson. I didn't, but boy was I tempted.
Somehow several years later now I'm working for Netjets, funny how things work out. I am very careful to make sure that I don't accidently get released until I actually can use it, if a controller is unwilling it issue a hold for release clearance, I will ask at least ask him what routing I can expect so I can load the box, I have never been turned down for that info when I ask.
