No way to File IFR Flight Plan with Clearance at Uncontrolled Airport

[NixonRedgrave]

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ISSUE DESCRIPTION

Description of the issue: There is no way to contact clearance and file an IFR flight plan at an uncontrolled airport.

If applicable, which aircraft is experiencing this issue:

[PC Only] Did you remove all your community mods/add-ons? If yes, are you still experiencing the issue? Yes

FREQUENCY OF ISSUE

How often does this occur for you (Example: Just once, every time on sim load, intermittently)?
I’ve tried twice, so every time.

REPRODUCTION STEPS

Please list clear steps you took in order to help our test team reproduce the same issue:

1. Plan an IFR flight from an uncontrolled airport from the EFB. Do this either at the World Map stage or when sitting in the aircraft on the ramp. The same issue occurs either way
2. Power up aircraft and open Communcations Panel. Note there is no option to contact Clearance
3. Go ahead and take off anyway
4. Note option to ask for flight following – Do so
5. Note that after establishing radar contact with ATC, there is still no option to file an IFR flight plan

YOUR SETTINGS

If the issue still occurs with no mods and add-ons, please continue to report your issue. If not, please move this post to the User Support Hub.

What peripherals are you using, if relevant:

[PC Only] Are you using Developer Mode or have you made any changes to it? No

[PC, MSFS 2020 Only] Are you using DX11 or DX12?

[PC Only] What GPU (Graphics Card) do you use?

[PC Only] What other relevant PC specs can you share?

MEDIA

Please add a screenshot or video of the issue occurring.

[END OF FIRST USER REPORT]

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For anyone who wants to contribute on this issue, Click on the button below to use this template:

Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?
•

Provide extra information to complete the original description of the issue:
•

If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:
•

[CharlieFox00]

Point taken with a lack of a way to open the plan (request clearance). That should be available on the ground from a nearby RCO/GCO or just do it once airborne (as long as you can remain VFR until you do). Note to devs: these days we often request clearance by phone, especially at remote non-towered airports, versus using VHF on the ground or in the air.

However, @NixonRedgrave, does the planner itself not file it?

[NixonRedgrave]

@CharlieFox00

However, @NixonRedgrave, does the planner itself not file it?

There is a button to do so, which I used, but I’m unclear what that is doing since ATC is completely unaware of my IFR plan. I’ve been flying along here pretending like I’m IFR, when I am not.

I dunno. This works in 2020.

Note: even if this does somehow tell ATC about my plan, I liked the process of filing it. I’m given my initial altitude, squawk code and radio contact information.

I want that prior to takeoff – you know, CRAFT

CRAFT (aviation) - Wikipedia

[Davidabelr1RD]

Interesting, the way I’ve been doing it is to file it on the EFB and ask for it once in the air. It usually gives me the option once I contact ATC

[NixonRedgrave]

I tried twice — once via filing it on the World Map and once via EFB in the aircraft after the walkaround.

In neither case was I ever offered the ability to file the flight plan — neither via radio nor once in the air.

Interesting you had success with it.

[Davidabelr1RD]

huh yeah thats funny I’ve been setting my own plans all through career mode, I was even doing a flight from a non towered airport and got clearance like 1h ago worked just fine. I’ll try again in free flight to see if i can replicate the issue

[NixonRedgrave]

Thanks for checking it out for me.

I’ll take another look tomorrow and see what the result is.

[Davidabelr1RD]

alright did some testing and its working fine for me, i tried filing it from the menu and also tried by getting to the plane with no plan, building it from the efb and then file it to atc, funnily enough my GPS picked up the plan when i filed it to atc without pressing the send to instruments option. once in the air request your initial flight following and after that conversation goes you should get the option to do the ifr. Worked both ways for me

[NixonRedgrave]

So weird.

I never got the prompt after requesting flight following with either flight.

Like I said, I will look into it again tomorrow.

[Marklar666]

@Davidabelr1RD

once in the air request your initial flight following and after that conversation goes you should get the option to do the ifr.

But the issue is IFR plan should be available when you are on the ground. When the weather is bad you don’t take off under VFR rules and then request IFR.

[Davidabelr1RD]

The thing is you’re taking off from an uncontrolled field so in sim that’s the limitation atc system-wise, I guess it would be nice to simulate the over-the-phone clearance like charliefox suggested. Now that the atc system includes an intercom and chat function it might be something that can be added

[NixonRedgrave]

@Davidabelr1RD

The thing is you’re taking off from an uncontrolled field so in sim that’s the limitation atc system wise,

However, that limitation does not exist in 2020, hence this bug report.

I was hoping the filing after takeoff option would at least work, for me, as a stopgap.

I’m about to get to the sim again and test this again this morning.

[Davidabelr1RD]

Really? that’s interesting, I’ve never even tried to file IFR from an uncontrolled field in 2020 would be nice to try but i deleted it drive space

[NixonRedgrave]

Yes, I do it all the time. Most of my flights are from/to uncontrolled airports.

[Davidabelr1RD]

Interesting so how does it work in 2020? you got me curious now hahaha

[NixonRedgrave]

You use the World Map to setup your IFR flight plan, load C&D into the aircraft, power up aircraft/avionics, open the ATC window and you see a choice for “Tune RCO/GCO name on frequency”. Since I am at KPRB, here in Paso Robles, California, my local is Hawthorne on 122.400.

Tune that or use the ATC window choice and you get:

Select #2, and when prompted to Read Back do so, and you get:

You are now cleared for IFR for 30 minutes. After takeoff, you tune to the assigned Departure frequency and establish normal contact and away you go.

What’s also cool is, if you exceed the 30 minutes before contacting Departure, IFR will be canceled and you will be informed as such when you contact Departure after takeoff, at which point you can refile.

I’ve been doing this in 2020, since I first got the sim, it should also be an option in 2024.

[NixonRedgrave]

Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?
•

Provide extra information to complete the original description of the issue:
• I may have found part of the issue here. See the screenshots and captions:

If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:

• On the World Map I immediately open the EFB and check the Flight Rules setting. It remains at IFR from my last use:
  

  

• Then I set up the Flight Plan:
  

  

• I click File Plan with ATC and Send Route to Avionics. I can see the World Map now has data populated in the background:
  

  

• I change the starting point to a parking space and fix the erroneous pre-selected helicopter parking space at the destination:
  

  

• I enter the sim, get into the aircraft, power up the avionics, open the Communications panel and glance over at the EFB. I see, now that the EFB shows the Flight Rules as VFR, when at the World Map stage I had confirmed that it showed IFR. This is clearly an issue:
  

  

• However, changing the Flight Rules to IFR and clicking “File plan with ATC” does not alter the Communications option to allow me to file IFR.

[NixonRedgrave]

@Davidabelr1RD

once in the air request your initial flight following and after that conversation goes you should get the option to do the ifr.

After my previous posts here in this thread, I set about to test this only to stumble over a new bug where the flight plan I filed (as outlined in the above post) didn’t get pushed to the aircraft and any test at this point would probably be bogus.

Argh.

[cutchemist42]

Voted for this as well. I defnitely have noted this isnt working the same way i expected itnto.

I really dont know what Im doing wrong as I cant even get IFR clearance at a towered airport. I use the EFB, make its IFR in the flight-plan page, and file it with ATC. The option to file an IFR FP doesnt even come up on the Clearance freq.

[Michail71]

@NixonRedgrave

Yes, I do it all the time. Most of my flights are from/to uncontrolled airports.

Same here.

2020 has some odd uncontrolled airport bugs too but it seems 2024 has more.

I’d guess much of the logic is tied up in tower AI code.