2nd IFR clearance inflight? Behind waypoint?

[John Smith]

Hey, so on my Vatsim flight from Atlanta to Chicago yesterday, something really caught me off guard and forced me to disconnect because I didn't exactly know what to do. I've never seen this in any Vatsim video before Nor any tutorial I've watched. So I had just left Indianapolis center's airspace so he handed me off to Chicago center. Communications were pretty normal until he said "American 187 (something I don't remember) advise when ready to copy" This threw me completely off guard as I had thought the only IFR clearance you get was when you are still parked at your stand. Anyways so since it was probably just another IFR clearance I went ahead and said I was ready to copy. He gave me the arrival to follow which I understood but before that, he said (Behind *some waypoint name*) so the full transmission was then "American 187, Behind *some waypoint name* cleared for *Star Name*" I don't really understand what behind a waypoint means. It couldn't have been a plane because he would say the aircraft type but it sounded something like "wirmar" I'm not saying that is what it was but that is what It sounded like. I read back and he said it was correct so obviously that behind waypoint thing was intended. He then gave me another extremely long transmission which was cross (some waypoint I think) at (some altitude) which I would've known but I didn't see that waypoint on my routing, there was nothing remotely similar to it on my routing either, and there was a whole other part of the transmission which I don't remember. To not annoy the controller with me not knowing what to do in this situation I disconnected.

 

I'm still quite new to Vatsim but got more confident after a couple of flights where the ATC communications went pretty well. But something like this I've never seen in any sort of tutorial or Vatsim flight video. Would someone be able to clear up what this was?

 

Thanks!

[Ross Carlson]

I've never heard "behind " used in an IFR clearance either. My best guess is that he was saying something else and you misheard it.

 

The next time something like this happens, your best bet is to ask for clarification. Asking the controller to send it on text is a good way to eliminate the possibility of you mis-hearing the instruction.

 

The last thing you should do is parrot back the instruction without understanding it. All that does is create more confusion, because now you've got a controller wondering why you're not doing what you said you would do.

[Robert Shearman Jr]

I concur with Ross's general point -- if you don't understand, don't read it back. You can ask "say again via text please" if there are waypoint or procedure names you don't understand.

 

Just a guess, but it sounds like you may have been given a reroute. This could happen if you're on a STAR that is particular to a certain landing direction but the airport is in the opposite flow, or, if the route you're following is saturated with traffic and they're trying to distribute some of it to other routes. But since you're not sure what was said, that's only speculation on my part.

[Robert Shearman Jr]

Duh, not sure why I didn't think to check but I looked up your flightplan by your CID and found it. You were changed from the VEECK4 to the WATSN3 arrival. (Misheard "instead of VEECK4" for "(something something) before," possibly?)

 

http://i.imgur.com/A525C9t.jpg

 

So your IFR clearance was probably something like "via present position direct Marion, then the WATSN3 arrival." Marion (MZZ) was also in your original plan -- so in an ideal world you'd already have peeked at that VOR name & would recognize it. In a *super*-ideal world you'd have briefed yourself on the other possible routes you might be diverted to, & would recognize the VOR names on any of them. That all comes with experience & familiarity with the route, so, don't kick yourself too hard for missing it.