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Clearance Delivery
| Clearance | Ground | Tower | Approach Radar | Area | FIS |
Description
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 light of the above respecting the following guidelines is essential.
What you need to know
In addition to the general guidelines a Clearance delivery controller must:
- Understand the basics of verifying accuracy of flight plans;
- Be able to issue an IFR clearance with or without SID;
- Understand the RVSM Altitude assignment system;
- Understand, and apply minimum routing restrictions whenever published.
Procedures
Firstly you'll need the following information:
- The sector file for the given airport;
- As a minimum the SID charts for the given airport, though we recommend you download the complete collection.
In the real world some commercial traffic at large airports receive IFR clearance electronically via ACARS, and rarely exchange more than a few words with the clearance controller. (Gatwick is currently trialing this) On IVAO we can't do it this way, instead we use the following procedures.
Elements of a Clearance:
A Clearance shall include the following items:
- Aircraft Identification
- Clearance Limit
- Route
- Levels of flight and changes of levels
- Squawk (If Applicable)
The following items may also be added:
- ATFM Slots (Air Traffic Flow Management)
- Communications instructions
- Any special instructions
- An aerodrome
- A reporting Point
- A Controlled or advisory airspace boundary
A clearance limit is the point to which an aircraft is granted a clearance. This may be:
A clearance limit is the point to which an aircraft is granted an air traffic control clearance and shall be specified by naming:
-
a) an aerodrome;
b) a reporting point; or
c) a controlled or advisory airspace boundary.
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.
Normally, the cruising level in the Flight plan is to be allocated. If that level is not available, the nearest appropriate level should be allocated.
Above FL195 in class C airspace (Airways) 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 FL410 within RVSM airspace:
| Westbound | Eastbound |
| 410 | |
| 400 | |
| 390 | |
| 380 | |
| 370 | |
| 360 | |
| 350 | |
| 340 | |
| 330 | |
| 320 | |
| 310 | |
| 300 | |
| 290 |
The 4-digit code the pilot sets 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. Remember that squawk codes are 4-digit octal numbers, so each digit can only be 0-7. Do not use any of the emergency codes (7500, 7600, 7700).
KLM754 is an KLM Boeing 737, Heathrow to Schiphol via airways at FL230.
Remember, his Clearance must contain:
- Aircraft Identification (KLM754)
- Clearance Limit (Schiphol)
- Route (SID)
- Levels of flight and changes of levels (SID)
- Squawk (assigned code)
"Heathrow Delivery, good morning, KLM754, A 737 with Echo 1017, request clearance Schiphol"
"KLM754, Heathrow Delivery, good morning, Cleared Schiphol, BPK6G, squawk 7247"
"Cleared Schiphol, BPK6G, squawk 7247, KLM754"
"KLM754, Correct, Contact Heathrow Ground 121.9"
"121.9, KLM754"
Example of Departure clearance (No SID):BEE024 is a Dash 8, Southampton to Jersey via airways at FL180.
Remember, his Clearance must contain:
- Aircraft Identification (BEE024)
- Clearance Limit (Jersey)
- Route
- Levels of flight and changes of levels
- Squawk (assigned code)
"Southampton, good morning, BEE024, A Dash 8 with Sierra 1004, request clearance Jersey"
"BEE024, Southampton, good morning, Cleared Jersey, Runway heading to 3000ft, then left turn on track SAM , Climb FL80, squawk 1154"
"Cleared Jersey, Runway heading to 3000ft, then left turn on track SAM, Climb FL80, squawk 1154, BEE024"
"BEE024, Correct, Call for startup"
"Wilco, BEE024"
Example of a VFR Departure Clearance:G-EYES is a Cessna 172, Stansted to Manston, via the FIR, not above 3000ft.
Remember, his Clearance must contain:
- Aircraft Identification (G-EYES)
- Clearance Limit
- Route
- Levels of flight and changes of levels
- Squawk (assigned code)
"Stansted, good morning, GEYES, A Cessna 172 with Zulu 1004, request taxi for flight to Manston"
"GEYES, Stansted, good morning, taxi GB runway 23 via G, Q1004"
"Taxi GB runway 23 via G, Q1004, GES"
"GES, Correct, have your clearance"
"Ready to copy, GES"
"GEYES, Cleared to the southern zone boundary, Route Great Dunmow, Not above altitude 1,500ft, VFR, squawk 7052"
"Cleared to the southern zone boundary, Route Great Dunmow, not above altitude 1,500ft, VFR, squawk 7052, GEYES"
"GES, Correct, call ready for departure"
"Wilco, GES"
Example of a SVFR Departure Clearance:G-BGTS is a Cessna 172, Nottingham East Midlands to Gloucestershire, Via the FIR, not above 3000ft.
Remember, his Clearance must contain:
- Aircraft Identification (G-BGTS)
- Clearance Limit
- Route
- Levels of flight and changes of levels
- Squawk (assigned code)
"East Midlands, good morning, GBGTS, A Cessna 172 with Alpha 1014, request taxi for flight to Gloucestershire"
"GBGTS, East Midlands, good morning, taxi S1 runway 27 via A, Q1014"
"Taxi S1 runway 27 via A, Q1014, GTS"
"GTS, Correct, Visibility has just reduced to 3000m, I am unable to issue a VFR Clearance, which clearance do you require"
"Special VFR, GTS"
"GTS Roger, I have your clearance"
"Pass your message, GTS"
"GBGTS Cleared to the southern zone boundary, Route Shepshed, Not above altitude 1500ft, Special VFR, squawk 7010"
"Cleared to the southern zone boundary, Route Shepshed, Not above altitude 1,500ft, Special VFR, squawk 7010, GBGTS"
"GTS, Correct, call ready for departure"
"Wilco, GTS"
IvAc settings
Another obligation on IVAO is to update the cleared waypoint and cleared altitude of the aircraft. The format to be used is as follows:
In Cleared Altitude/FL (F8) enter the initial altitude assigned in the clearance/SID;
In Cleared Waypoint (F5) enter the first 3 letters, number and last letter of the SID (BPK6G). If the aircraft is assigned a heading enter Hxxx where xxx is the heading (e.g. H090). If the aircraft is cleared direct to a waypoint enter the identifier of this waypoint.
As a clearance controller, we recommend you set your altitude filter to 000 <-> 030.
Set your IN/OUT box to only display traffic departing the airport you are covering (e.g. EGSS). Set your ATC list to show all facilities of the airport you are covering as well as the appropriate area sector.