Filing Direct?

Since Eric is a working controller, I respect his advice. I was a little surprised when he stated that filing direct grinds controllers gears. With GPS capability, filing direct has saved me a lot of time and money. It was never realized that doing so was creating a problem for anyone. It was not done as a sign of laziness or to engage in a bad practice, but to get in and out of the ATC system as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

Filing an IFR flight plan directly from airport to airport *without specifying intermediate waypoints* is problematic for controllers, as it forces them to manually create a route around airspace restrictions.
Conversely, filing direct *between specified waypoints* or being cleared direct to a destination by ATC when en route is efficient, acceptable, and appreciated by controllers, saving time and costs.
Charity flights, such as Young Eagles in experimental aircraft, are permissible because pilots donate time and aircraft, and passengers are not charged, thus avoiding "compensation or hire" under FAR 91.319.
For VFR flights, the "see and avoid" principle is the primary pilot responsibility, regardless of radio communication issues or other aircraft's actions.

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Aviation Safety is greatly appreciated. I normally read it cover-to-cover, and it helps me not make too many dumb mistakes. The August 2019 article “IFR Route Changes” by Eric Lyn raised a question. Further clarification is requested.

Since Eric is a working controller, I respect his advice. I was a little surprised when he stated that filing direct “grinds controllers’ gears.” With GPS capability, filing direct has saved me a lot of time and money. It was never realized that doing so was creating a problem for anyone. It was not done as a sign of laziness or to engage in a “bad practice, but to get in and out of the ATC system as quickly and efficiently as possible.