An HS125-800 flight crew departed trk and has a slight problem obtaining an airborne clearance.

Attributes
ACN	538171
Time
Date	200202
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rno.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc tracon : rno.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	BAe 125 Series 800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude climbout other
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2950 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	538171
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

This was a part 135 empty leg departing out of trk. This leg was being flown by a highly experienced captain who however, was assigned as first officer on this trip. The WX was 2900 ft overcast, and due to departure requirements for that airport, an IFR departure was not possible. The PF stated that he had departed VFR numerous times in this WX situation and obtained an IFR clearance with ZOA without any problems. Since I had limited experience operating out of trk, I felt the PF knew the situation better and agreed to depart VFR. I called ZOA on the ground and told them what our intentions would be after departing trk. Center said to go ahead and they would have the clearance once we were airborne. We departed trk, maintained VFR and contacted ZOA. They gave a squawk and told us to stand by. We continued to fly northeast towards rno, when ZOA told us to obtain the IFR clearance through reno approach. I contacted approach control, gave them our position and was told to contact a different controller for the clearance. I contacted the other approach controller, gave our position and was given a different squawk but told to standby. During this time I believe we entered the reno class C airspace. I had asked for a clearance to enter the airspace once we realized how close we were to the airport, but I was told to stand by. I am not sure if that was for the IFR clearance or the airspace clearance. The controller asked us to climb so we could obtain the IFR clearance, but we advised him that we would not be able to maintain VFR and obstacle requirements due to the terrain. We continued to circle in the valley west of rno until the controller allowed us to fly east into the class C airspace. Once we were over rno, he cleared us on an IFR flight plan and continued to the destination without any problems. I felt that this situation could have been avoided if: ZOA informed us that he could not work out an IFR clearance if we departed VFR from trk. I would have not let the PF previous operational experience out of trk influence the decision to depart VFR. The reno airspace chart should have been reviewed prior to departing trk in addition to discussing the possibility that an IFR clearance may not be obtained with ZOA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN HS125-800 FLC DEPARTED TRK AND HAS A SLIGHT PROB OBTAINING AN AIRBORNE CLRNC.

Narrative: THIS WAS A PART 135 EMPTY LEG DEPARTING OUT OF TRK. THIS LEG WAS BEING FLOWN BY A HIGHLY EXPERIENCED CAPT WHO HOWEVER, WAS ASSIGNED AS FO ON THIS TRIP. THE WX WAS 2900 FT OVCST, AND DUE TO DEP REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT ARPT, AN IFR DEP WAS NOT POSSIBLE. THE PF STATED THAT HE HAD DEPARTED VFR NUMEROUS TIMES IN THIS WX SIT AND OBTAINED AN IFR CLRNC WITH ZOA WITHOUT ANY PROBS. SINCE I HAD LIMITED EXPERIENCE OPERATING OUT OF TRK, I FELT THE PF KNEW THE SIT BETTER AND AGREED TO DEPART VFR. I CALLED ZOA ON THE GND AND TOLD THEM WHAT OUR INTENTIONS WOULD BE AFTER DEPARTING TRK. CTR SAID TO GO AHEAD AND THEY WOULD HAVE THE CLRNC ONCE WE WERE AIRBORNE. WE DEPARTED TRK, MAINTAINED VFR AND CONTACTED ZOA. THEY GAVE A SQUAWK AND TOLD US TO STAND BY. WE CONTINUED TO FLY NE TOWARDS RNO, WHEN ZOA TOLD US TO OBTAIN THE IFR CLRNC THROUGH RENO APCH. I CONTACTED APCH CTL, GAVE THEM OUR POS AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT A DIFFERENT CTLR FOR THE CLRNC. I CONTACTED THE OTHER APCH CTLR, GAVE OUR POS AND WAS GIVEN A DIFFERENT SQUAWK BUT TOLD TO STANDBY. DURING THIS TIME I BELIEVE WE ENTERED THE RENO CLASS C AIRSPACE. I HAD ASKED FOR A CLRNC TO ENTER THE AIRSPACE ONCE WE REALIZED HOW CLOSE WE WERE TO THE ARPT, BUT I WAS TOLD TO STAND BY. I AM NOT SURE IF THAT WAS FOR THE IFR CLRNC OR THE AIRSPACE CLRNC. THE CTLR ASKED US TO CLB SO WE COULD OBTAIN THE IFR CLRNC, BUT WE ADVISED HIM THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR AND OBSTACLE REQUIREMENTS DUE TO THE TERRAIN. WE CONTINUED TO CIRCLE IN THE VALLEY W OF RNO UNTIL THE CTLR ALLOWED US TO FLY E INTO THE CLASS C AIRSPACE. ONCE WE WERE OVER RNO, HE CLRED US ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AND CONTINUED TO THE DEST WITHOUT ANY PROBS. I FELT THAT THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF: ZOA INFORMED US THAT HE COULD NOT WORK OUT AN IFR CLRNC IF WE DEPARTED VFR FROM TRK. I WOULD HAVE NOT LET THE PF PREVIOUS OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE OUT OF TRK INFLUENCE THE DECISION TO DEPART VFR. THE RENO AIRSPACE CHART SHOULD HAVE BEEN REVIEWED PRIOR TO DEPARTING TRK IN ADDITION TO DISCUSSING THE POSSIBILITY THAT AN IFR CLRNC MAY NOT BE OBTAINED WITH ZOA.

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.