Under what situations...

[Philip McNiel 1282687]

is it unnecessary to file an IFR flightplan with a SID/STAR/airway?

 

For example, it doesn't always make sense to use a SID and a STAR for short flights in light aircraft, and I've noticed that some airlines don't follow the airways in real life; they just file a list of waypoints.

 

Furthermore, what are the differences--if any--between the answers to this question in the USA and Europe?

[Josh Glottmann]

In the US you should generally file a SID/STAR/airway (kind of). If you are flying within the same approach airspace, it is sometimes not necessary.

When it comes to airways, they are not always required. Airways tend to follow standard traffic flows, prevent you from hitting military airspace, etc.

When it comes to the US, I honestly recommend seeing if there is a route on flightaware and using that or searching the FAA preferred route database (whcih may/may not have a SID/STAR attached).

[Philip McNiel 1282687]

I like to follow the routes on Flightaware for my airline flights; I'm mostly asking for general aviation purposes, and for flights that are shorter than a US SID/STAR (since US STARs tend to be extremely long, sometimes spanning several states).

[Sebastien Bartosz]

If anything, the US/Canada are more relax to filing directs and using less of the airway system. ICAO land (except Canada): different story altogether.

 

Flying lighter aircraft on shorter routes, you have a little more freedom. However, I would still recommend filing TEC routes and/or on the V airway network (US/Canada)

[Robert Shearman Jr]

This is kind of simplified, so it's not applicable to all cases, but... in the USA, generally speaking, look in the Terminal Procedures Publication (via whichever site you're looking at it -- SkyVector, MyAirplane.com, or whatever) and see what SIDs(DPs)/STARs are published for that airport.

 

(1) if you're flying an RNAV-capable plane, the preference is that you file an RNAV departure/arrival consistent with your direction of flight, if one exists.

 

(2) if you're flying a non-RNAV-capable plane, but there's a non-RNAV departure/arrival consistent with your direction of flight, you should file that.

 

(3) if neither of the above cases exist, look and see if there is a "generic vectored departure" (LOGAN9, PITTSBURGH1, etcetera) for that airfield. If one exists, you don't file it necessarily (it will automatically be part of your clearance by default) but your first waypoint MUST be one of the "departure gates" listed on that chart. Nothing similar exists for arrivals.

 

(4) if none of the above cases are true, you can file to any close-by waypoint to start and end your route, and in a rare case where ATC is unable to accept it because it violates some inter-sector handoff protocol us lowly pilots don't know about (JUST KIDDING, CONTROLLERS!), they'll let you know.

 

Hope that helps!

[Simon Kelsey]

It's impossible to give a one-size-fits-all answer because it depends entirely on the type of flight and the local regulations.

 

In the Eurocontrol IFPS region, for instance, if you are flying IFR in controlled airspace you generally are required to file an airways route or else the flow management computer will reject your flight plan. The exceptions obviously are for areas of Free Route Airspace (like over Ireland, Hungary etc) and late at night/at weekends etc there is scope for more DCT filing. For very short flights there will often be some form of preferred route specified (in the UK -- in the UK Standard Route Docomeent) which may or may not involve airways, but nonetheless will be 'approved' (and therefore will not be rejected by CFMU).

 

[Mod - Happy Thoughts]uming that there are SIDs published for your departure aerodrome then you would generally be expected to file and/or fly one (unless your aircraft is incapable, e.g. there are no conventional nav procedures published and you are flying a non-RNAV aircraft). Likewise for STARs, although again even for short/low routes there will often be a procedure available.

 

If you are flying from an aerodrome which does not have published instrument procedures and/or outside CAS (in the UK, which is a bit odd in the regard that it permits IFR outside controlled airspace) then you would generally just file DCT to your first waypoint and DCT from your last waypoint to the destination (often perhaps to a suitable navaid for an instrument let-down if one is published).