The Clearance delivery controller is responsible for providing departing aircraft with their IFR clearance. It is not something to be taken lightly. The smooth flow of all traffic depends on these clearances. If a clearance is incorrect another controller down the line will have to amend it, and potentially distract the pilot from his flying, while if the error would have been corrected before take-off the pilot would have had all the time to amend his plan, and not have anything to worry about when in the air.
In addition to the general guidelines a Clearance delivery controller must understand the basics of verifying accuracy of flight plans.
Flight Plan Verification Knowledge Required:
Required Information:
A Clearance shall include the following items:
The Following Items May Also Be Added:
A clearance limit is the point to which an aircraft is granted a clearance. This may be:
Controllers should endeavour to clear an aircraft according to the route requested. Sometimes this may not be possible, and the controller should explain the reason why when issuing the clearance. The expression "Cleared flight plan route" is not used in the UK.
Before clearing an aircraft, check that the requested cruising altitude is appropriate for the flight. If that level is not available, the nearest appropriate level should be advised to the pilot and requested to refile.
Above FL195 in class C airspace, the semi-circular rule shall apply. Flight levels 200, 220, 240, 260 and 280 shall be westbound; Flight levels 210, 230, 250, and 270 shall be eastbound.
Cruising levels at or above FL290 up to (and including) FL410 within RVSM[1] airspace:
| Westbound | Eastbound |
|---|---|
| FL400 | FL410 |
| FL380 | FL390 |
| FL360 | FL370 |
| FL340 | FL350 |
| FL320 | FL330 |
| FL300 | FL310 |
| - | FL290 |
A squawk is a 4-digit code between 0000 and 7777 (digits 8 and 9 are not available). When given, the pilot will set his transponder to so that controllers can identify him on radar. There are various schemes for allocating squawk codes, some quite complicated using different code ranges depending on outbound track, level, etc and there are ranges in certain countries reserved for military low level, air ambulance, search and rescue, police operation etc. However, when controlling on IVAO in the UK division, the only requirement is that each aircraft is allocated a unique code (or at least unique in the surrounding airspace) so that it can be positively identified on radar.
You may find that adjacent controllers always use the same range of codes (as in the real world) - so pick a range you will use and issue the first one to the first aircraft you clear and increment it for each subsequent aircraft.
Do not use any of the emergency codes in a clearance (7500, 7600, 7700).
KLM754 is an KLM Boeing 737, Heathrow to Schiphol via airways at FL230.
| Transmitter | Phraseology |
|---|---|
| Pilot | “Heathrow Delivery, Good morning, KLM1018, Stand 221, 737 with Information Echo, QNH 1017, Request cleance to Amsterdam Schipol” |
| ATC | “KLM1018, Heathrow Delivery, Cleared to Amsterdam Schipol, BPK7G departure, Squawk 7247” |
| Pilot | “Cleared to Amsterdam Schipol, BPK7G departure, Squawk 7247, KLM1018” |
| ATC | “KLM1018, Correct” |
| Pilot | “KLM1018, Request pushback” |
| ATC | “KLM1018, Hold position, contact Heathrow Ground 121.9” |
| Pilot | “Holding position, 121.9, KLM1018” |
BEE3GF is a Flybe Dash 8 Q400, Southampton to Manchester via the airways .
| Transmitter | Phraseology |
|---|---|
| Pilot | “Southampton Tower, Good morning, Jersey 3GF, Stand 4, Dash 8 with Sierra, QNH 1004, Request clearance to Manchester” |
| ATC | “Jersey 3GF, Southampton Tower, Cleared to Manchester via Q41. After departure turn right on track NORRY, climb to altitude 3000ft, Squawk 1154” |
| Pilot | “Cleared to Manchester via Q41. After departure turn right on track NORRY, climb to altitude 3000ft, Squawk 1154, Jersey 3GF” |
| ATC | “Jersey 3GF, Correct” |
This non-standard departure clearance is usually obtained from the approach controller.
G-BSEP is a Cessna 172, Stansted to Manston
| Transmitter | Phraseology |
|---|---|
| Pilot | “Stansted Ground, good morning, GBSEP, A Cessna 172 with Zulu, QNH 1004, request startup for VFR flight to Southend” |
| ATC | “GBSEP, Stansted Ground, Startup approved” |
| Pilot | “Start up approved, GBSEP” |
| Pilot | “GBSEP, Request Taxi” |
| ATC | “G-EP, Taxi holding point U, Runway 22 via taxiway G, and U” |
| Pilot | “Taxi holding point U, Runway 22 via taxiway G, and U, G-EP” |
| ATC | (When the aircraft is at the holding point) “G-EP, I have your clearance” |
| Pilot | “Pass your message, G-EP” |
| ATC | “G-BSEP, Hold position, After departure Runway 22, cleared to leave the Stansted Control Zone via Canfield, VFR, Not above altitude 2000ft, Squawk 0211” |
| Pilot | “Hold position, After departure Runway 22, cleared to leave the Stansted Control Zone via Canfield, VFR, Not above altitude 2000ft, Squawk 0211, G-BSEP” |
| ATC | “G-EP, correct, report ready for departure” |
VFR zone exit clearances are usually given by the approach position.
G-BGTS is a Cessna 172, Nottingham East Midlands to Gloucestershire.
| Transmitter | Phraseology |
|---|---|
| Pilot | "East Midlands Tower, good morning, GBGTS, A Cessna 172 with Alpha QNH 1014, request taxi for flight to Gloucestershire" |
| ATC | "GBGTS, East Midlands Tower, taxi holding point S1, runway 27 via taxiway A, QNH 1014" |
| Pilot | "Taxi S1 runway 27 via A, QNH 1014, GBGTS" |
| ATC | "GTS, Correct, visibility has just reduced to 3000m, I am unable to issue a VFR Clearance, which clearance do you require" |
| Pilot | "Special VFR, GTS" |
| ATC | "GTS Roger, I have your clearance" |
| Pilot | "Pass your message, GTS" |
| ATC | "GBGTS, hold at S1. After departure, cleared to leave controlled airspace via Shepshed, not above altitude 1500ft, QNH 1014, Special VFR, squawk 4550" |
| Pilot | "Hold position. Cleared to leave controlled airspace via Shepshed, not above altitude 1,500ft, QNH 1014, Special VFR, squawk 4550, GBGTS" |
| ATC | "GTS, Correct, report ready for departure" |
| Pilot | "Wilco, GTS" |
SVFR zone exit clearances are usually given by the approach controller.
SVFR departures require a release from the approach controller prior to departure.
Another obligation on IVAO is to update the cleared waypoint and cleared altitude of the aircraft. The format to be used is as follows: