Narrative:

I contacted macon FSS on the phone at XA40 to get my clearance and received it about 2 mins later with the limitation that it was valid for a takeoff of not later than XA54. The aircraft had already been preflted and my passenger was sitting in it with the engine and avionics off. I ran to the aircraft and started going through the engine start checks. 1/2 way through and before I started the engine, I realized that there was no way for me to get the aircraft started, taxi down to the approach end of the runway, perform an adequate check of the engine and instruments, and take off before the assigned time limit. I jumped out the aircraft and ran back to the FBO office, called the FSS, and canceled the clearance. At this point I engaged in conversation with the FSS dispatcher about how it was impossible for me to comply with the clearance instructions within the assigned time limit. I asked that he request more time from macon approach. He contacted macon approach and passed to me their message that they could not provide more time and that I had no other alternatives. I asked why I couldn't get a clearance with a not earlier than takeoff time so that I could prepare for takeoff with an acceptable amount of time to adequately check the instruments and engine. He, of course, was in no position to influence a different outcome, so we dropped the subject and I asked for another clearance. This second clearance was requested at XA54, received at XA56, and I took off at XB02 is order to comply with a not later than takeoff time of XB04. In the 6 mins from receiving the clearance to takeoff I ran to the aircraft, started it, taxied 1/2 mi to the runway, checked the magnetos and heading indicator, and launched into IMC feeling extremely uncomfortable about being so rushed. My first fix was 3 mi away (culvr NDB) and I took off with the ADF off. Moreover, I had not ever checked it for proper operation before the flight. My fault or ATC's fault? Should we wait for an accident board to figure that out? That you are receiving this letter is evidence that I was able to recover and complete the flight without further incident. If such a clearance was issued with a not earlier than takeoff time, it would be possible to issue it to the pilot 15, 20, even 30 mins prior to the not earlier than takeoff time. In this case, I could have complied easily with both limits and had plenty of time to prepare for the flight at the approach end of the runway. If ATC has procedures for the issuance of a clearance that expires at a certain time, then why can't it issue a clearance that becomes valid at a certain time? That way, ATC does not have to lock up the protected airspace until the clearance becomes valid at the not earlier than takeoff time. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: it was agreed between reporter and analyst that contacting macon approach control personally may be a good idea. Speaking one-on-one with a supervisor would no doubt help in understanding how the system is implemented.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CLAIMS THAT WHEN ATC ISSUES A DEP WINDOW NOT ENOUGH TIME IS ALLOWED TO ADEQUATELY PERFORM PREFLT DUTIES.

Narrative: I CONTACTED MACON FSS ON THE PHONE AT XA40 TO GET MY CLRNC AND RECEIVED IT ABOUT 2 MINS LATER WITH THE LIMITATION THAT IT WAS VALID FOR A TKOF OF NOT LATER THAN XA54. THE ACFT HAD ALREADY BEEN PREFLTED AND MY PAX WAS SITTING IN IT WITH THE ENG AND AVIONICS OFF. I RAN TO THE ACFT AND STARTED GOING THROUGH THE ENG START CHKS. 1/2 WAY THROUGH AND BEFORE I STARTED THE ENG, I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS NO WAY FOR ME TO GET THE ACFT STARTED, TAXI DOWN TO THE APCH END OF THE RWY, PERFORM AN ADEQUATE CHK OF THE ENG AND INSTS, AND TAKE OFF BEFORE THE ASSIGNED TIME LIMIT. I JUMPED OUT THE ACFT AND RAN BACK TO THE FBO OFFICE, CALLED THE FSS, AND CANCELED THE CLRNC. AT THIS POINT I ENGAGED IN CONVERSATION WITH THE FSS DISPATCHER ABOUT HOW IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO COMPLY WITH THE CLRNC INSTRUCTIONS WITHIN THE ASSIGNED TIME LIMIT. I ASKED THAT HE REQUEST MORE TIME FROM MACON APCH. HE CONTACTED MACON APCH AND PASSED TO ME THEIR MESSAGE THAT THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE MORE TIME AND THAT I HAD NO OTHER ALTERNATIVES. I ASKED WHY I COULDN'T GET A CLRNC WITH A NOT EARLIER THAN TKOF TIME SO THAT I COULD PREPARE FOR TKOF WITH AN ACCEPTABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO ADEQUATELY CHK THE INSTS AND ENG. HE, OF COURSE, WAS IN NO POS TO INFLUENCE A DIFFERENT OUTCOME, SO WE DROPPED THE SUBJECT AND I ASKED FOR ANOTHER CLRNC. THIS SECOND CLRNC WAS REQUESTED AT XA54, RECEIVED AT XA56, AND I TOOK OFF AT XB02 IS ORDER TO COMPLY WITH A NOT LATER THAN TKOF TIME OF XB04. IN THE 6 MINS FROM RECEIVING THE CLRNC TO TKOF I RAN TO THE ACFT, STARTED IT, TAXIED 1/2 MI TO THE RWY, CHKED THE MAGNETOS AND HDG INDICATOR, AND LAUNCHED INTO IMC FEELING EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT BEING SO RUSHED. MY FIRST FIX WAS 3 MI AWAY (CULVR NDB) AND I TOOK OFF WITH THE ADF OFF. MOREOVER, I HAD NOT EVER CHKED IT FOR PROPER OP BEFORE THE FLT. MY FAULT OR ATC'S FAULT? SHOULD WE WAIT FOR AN ACCIDENT BOARD TO FIGURE THAT OUT? THAT YOU ARE RECEIVING THIS LETTER IS EVIDENCE THAT I WAS ABLE TO RECOVER AND COMPLETE THE FLT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. IF SUCH A CLRNC WAS ISSUED WITH A NOT EARLIER THAN TKOF TIME, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO ISSUE IT TO THE PLT 15, 20, EVEN 30 MINS PRIOR TO THE NOT EARLIER THAN TKOF TIME. IN THIS CASE, I COULD HAVE COMPLIED EASILY WITH BOTH LIMITS AND HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE FLT AT THE APCH END OF THE RWY. IF ATC HAS PROCS FOR THE ISSUANCE OF A CLRNC THAT EXPIRES AT A CERTAIN TIME, THEN WHY CAN'T IT ISSUE A CLRNC THAT BECOMES VALID AT A CERTAIN TIME? THAT WAY, ATC DOES NOT HAVE TO LOCK UP THE PROTECTED AIRSPACE UNTIL THE CLRNC BECOMES VALID AT THE NOT EARLIER THAN TKOF TIME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: IT WAS AGREED BTWN RPTR AND ANALYST THAT CONTACTING MACON APCH CTL PERSONALLY MAY BE A GOOD IDEA. SPEAKING ONE-ON-ONE WITH A SUPVR WOULD NO DOUBT HELP IN UNDERSTANDING HOW THE SYS IS IMPLEMENTED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.