Is Route Planning Dead?

A pilot working on his instrument rating asked if it would be better to carefully plan a route or simply file direct. Some of his buddies recommended researching the route and filing via airways, while others suggested just filing direct and being done with it. Of course, for instrument students, the best resource is your instructor, but let us put this question into perspective.We now live in a world where its simple to navigate directly to any point on Earth. As recently as about 25 years ago, there was no question because there was no simple way to navigate distances direct. (VOR/DME-based RNAV filing was certainly a fun exercise though.)

Key Takeaways:

• Habitually filing direct routes without prior research is discouraged as it offloads critical flight planning responsibilities to ATC, potentially invalidates pre-flight checks (fuel, weather, TFRs), and can lead to disruptive in-flight reroutes and reduced situational awareness.
• Pilots should leverage modern flight planning tools that provide historical ATC route data to anticipate and file realistic flight paths, increasing the likelihood of receiving a "cleared as filed" clearance.
• Proactive route planning, though requiring a few extra minutes, enhances safety, improves situational awareness, ensures accurate pre-flight preparation, minimizes in-flight distractions, and fulfills a pilot's professional responsibility.

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