After a pilot requested a suggested routing and being told to hold for release ATC assumes an IFR cl...

Attributes
ACN	507350
Time
Date	200104
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vpz.airport
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Learjet 31
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 178 flight time total : 755 flight time type : 169
ASRS Report	507350
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On the ground I called clearance delivery to obtain our routing. On initial call, I advised that I wanted our routing, not an actual clearance. At that time, we were still 30 mins from engine start. South bend advised me to hold for release. The passenger arrived soon after, before they were expected. We quickly loaded the airplane and began to taxi. Taxi checklist was completed as we approached the runway, so we departed VFR, planning to pick up our IFR clearance in the air. South bend was upset, saying we had departed illegally under IFR. We were squawking VFR and were climbing to a VFR altitude until we received clearance. I normally would've called for ground clearance, but I thought we had the option of departing VFR. If the incident had occurred in IMC, that would be an obvious violation. When clearance advised me to hold for release, my assumption was we had to hold for an IFR release. I did not realize we had to hold regardless. I have not yet found an far that addresses this situation, other than not deviating from an ATC clearance. The main factors in this situation was time pressure, as well as confusion about the FARS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER A PLT REQUESTED A SUGGESTED ROUTING AND BEING TOLD TO HOLD FOR RELEASE ATC ASSUMES AN IFR CLRNC IS TO BE GIVEN. THE TKOF IS MADE VFR WITH THE EXPECTATION OF AN INFLT FILING OF THE CLRNC. ATC IS NOT HAPPY AND THE PLT THINKS HE HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG.

Narrative: ON THE GND I CALLED CLRNC DELIVERY TO OBTAIN OUR ROUTING. ON INITIAL CALL, I ADVISED THAT I WANTED OUR ROUTING, NOT AN ACTUAL CLRNC. AT THAT TIME, WE WERE STILL 30 MINS FROM ENG START. SOUTH BEND ADVISED ME TO HOLD FOR RELEASE. THE PAX ARRIVED SOON AFTER, BEFORE THEY WERE EXPECTED. WE QUICKLY LOADED THE AIRPLANE AND BEGAN TO TAXI. TAXI CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED AS WE APCHED THE RWY, SO WE DEPARTED VFR, PLANNING TO PICK UP OUR IFR CLRNC IN THE AIR. SOUTH BEND WAS UPSET, SAYING WE HAD DEPARTED ILLEGALLY UNDER IFR. WE WERE SQUAWKING VFR AND WERE CLBING TO A VFR ALT UNTIL WE RECEIVED CLRNC. I NORMALLY WOULD'VE CALLED FOR GND CLRNC, BUT I THOUGHT WE HAD THE OPTION OF DEPARTING VFR. IF THE INCIDENT HAD OCCURRED IN IMC, THAT WOULD BE AN OBVIOUS VIOLATION. WHEN CLRNC ADVISED ME TO HOLD FOR RELEASE, MY ASSUMPTION WAS WE HAD TO HOLD FOR AN IFR RELEASE. I DID NOT REALIZE WE HAD TO HOLD REGARDLESS. I HAVE NOT YET FOUND AN FAR THAT ADDRESSES THIS SIT, OTHER THAN NOT DEVIATING FROM AN ATC CLRNC. THE MAIN FACTORS IN THIS SIT WAS TIME PRESSURE, AS WELL AS CONFUSION ABOUT THE FARS.

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.

After a pilot requested a suggested routing and being told to hold for release ATC assumes an IFR clearance is to be given. The takeoff is made VFR with the expectation of an in-flight filing of the clearance. ATC is not happy and the pilot thinks he has done nothing wrong.