IFR departure with no ATC coverage

[Marco Scattola 1268044]

Hi, I'm getting ready for my first online flight and I plan to depart from an Airport where at least CTR is online but I have a question.

Imagine a situation where you depart from an area with no ATC coverage but on your route you will cross/land in areas with ATC online.

What's the correct procedure?

What should I squawk?

Do I have any altitude restriction?

 

From the info I have now I would depart on my own squawking 2200 and climb at any altitude, then I would contact ATC as soon as I Can and ask clearance in air (or wait for a contact me)

[Andreas Fuchs]

Hi Marco,

 

by default set SQ2000, however in the US the default code is 1200 until ATC [Mod - Happy Thoughts]igns another one. You follow your filed flightplan and that includes your horizontal and vertical path. Always make sure you do not depart on your own, while there may be a Center controller above, providing "top down coverage". Best use one of those neat online status tools like Accomeap, Qutescoop or VatSpy (there are more) - they will show you the current coverage by ATC and you can easily see the information that those controllers provide regarding airports that they serve.

 

When you depart from an inactive airfield and/or fly in inactive airspace (=no ATC available), make reports of intentions and position via UNICOM (122.80 in most parts of the VATSIM-world). Keep those UNICOM-messages to the minimum, only report critical phases of your flight: intended departure route and level, entering a runway and start of takeoff-roll, intended STAR/arrival route, type of approach and runway. You can shorten your messages, for example you do not need to write "Nantucket traffic", but you can just write "KACK tfc". You don't need to mention your own callsign, because the others can see it automatically with your message. Directions can also be shortened, for example "lefthand downwind" would be "LH downwind" etc.. As long as the meaning is obvious, you can shorten as much as possible.

 

In the end, position reports can be really easy: "KACK trfc, 20NM W of the field, 3500ft, inbd for LDG rwy 6".

[Marco Scattola 1268044]

~

Thank andreas, what about my clereance, I won't get It at All or I'll take It by the first controller I get in contact with?

 

Also, is unicom text only?

[Andreas Fuchs]

As mentioned, check if there's an overlaying CTR or APP controller for your airport. If not, just depart on own discretion, make TEXT reports on UNICOM. UNICOM is text-only. Once airborne and when entering active airspace, there will be no more clearance necessary, since you are already following your flightplan.

[Marco Scattola 1268044]

As mentioned, check if there's an overlaying CTR or APP controller for your airport. If not, just depart on own discretion, make TEXT reports on UNICOM. UNICOM is text-only. Once airborne and when entering active airspace, there will be no more clearance necessary, since you are already following your flightplan.

 

Ok, It seems all clear now. Than you so much Andreas!

[Andreas Fuchs]

We are always glad to help!

[Dace Nicmane]

There will be no full clearance, but if you encounter en-route controller, you'll get a squawk. If the controller's sector has vertical boundaries (e.g. Eurocontrol), make sure to contact him before you climb into his airspace.