"Go Direct to..."

[Tri-holer]

Just a quick question. I have heard that whenever a controller issues a "go direct to..." it is noted and there is some benefit to the controllers for this. It was never elaborated what the benefit was - retirement points, kudos, who knows? Is this true?

 

[DLconnection]

Just a quick question. I have heard that whenever a controller issues a "go direct to..." it is noted and there is some benefit to the controllers for this. It was never elaborated what the benefit was - retirement points, kudos, who knows? Is this true?

Other than getting your out of the airspace faster, there is no other incentive to clearing an aircraft direct to a fix.

 

[Flyin2low]

Just a quick question. I have heard that whenever a controller issues a "go direct to..." it is noted and there is some benefit to the controllers for this. It was never elaborated what the benefit was - retirement points, kudos, who knows? Is this true?

I've heard that if a pilot asks for Direct and they can't approve it, then they receive demerits against their retirement points. :laugh:

 

[Booker]

I used to fly with a guy who always asked for direct by saying, "If it helps you out, we can go direct to..." One day, the controller responded, "It doesn't help me out one bit, but if you want, you're cleared direct to..."

 

[DLconnection]

No rewards. No demerits. Just moves you closer to where you need to be.

 

[glasspilot]

I know as a passenger on SWA "Direct" somewhere means there could be quite a few points visited along the way!

 

[NCherches]

I like requesting direct to somewhere so I can push a few buttons on the FMS and the plane turns vs. when we arrive at a fix and the plane simply turns on it's own... I mean what would my passengers think If i didnt push some buttons and the plane simply flew itself... id be looking at a major pay cut!

 

[Nevets]

seperation

 

[GravityHater]

we got a direct the other day, looked like it bypassed a big dogleg on the map.....watched the fuel remaining and it saved....20lbs of fuel (figured it would be worth at least a hundred or two)

 

[NCherches]

...its all phsychological

 

[Mach 80]

When I ask for direct I usually get it 75% of the time or just a few minutes later, which leads me to ask in these times of "green" and "carbon" why don't contollers clear you direct more often without being asked.

 

[glasspilot]

we got a direct the other day, looked like it bypassed a big dogleg on the map.....watched the fuel remaining and it saved....20lbs of fuel (figured it would be worth at least a hundred or two)

It is really amazing how little shortcuts save you. Taking the Atlantic routes from Miami to, say, New York, you would think would save a ton of time and gas. It doesn't. A few minutes and a few pounds is all.

Weird.