Narrative:

This event occurred on my first IFR flight after having passed my instrument examination. The event in question took place at the start of the third leg of my flight, which initiated at ZZZ1 to ZZZ2 followed by ZZZ2 to ZZZ3 and finally ZZZ3 to ZZZ1. The WX conditions over the routes were IMC with very low clouds and fog, with improved conditions from about noon. IFR flight plans were filed for each of the legs, with clrncs obtained at each instance. At avo I called ground control at the ramp and requested activation of my filed flight plan. The controller was very busy, but cleared me for ZZZ1 as filed with 3000 ft and 6000 ft after 10000 ft a frequency to contact and a squawk code. Being very new to IFR flight and for the first time on my own, I assumed I was cleared for takeoff, and that I needed to contact control once airborne, a residual from my VFR experience. I do not recall being told that the frequency given was to obtain a release time and so it did not register in my mind that there was a step in the process I needed to follow. I certainly became quite painfully aware of my mistake by the controller after contact with ATC. Although I received excellent training on approachs, holds, intercepts and all the required syllabus for instrument rate qualification, I did not have the opportunity during my IFR training to actually experience first hand some of the on the ground procedures and ATC communications required by IFR flight as most of the training was done under VFR conditions. I have the theoretical knowledge, but I admit and accept the responsibility for the fact that I did not think through the whole process as is expected from an instrument rated pilot. As soon as I got back to base I called my instructor and have requested that we analyze and discuss my performance on this trip and pursue further training on issues having to do mainly with ATC communications. I have also contacted pilot's association group on this issue and sought their advice. I love and respect flying, and understand that my responsibilities as a pilot can only be met by safe performance and full understanding and following of the rules. To that end I will seek advice and training on a continuous basis and hopefully eliminate learning by my mistakes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOW TIME IFR PA28 PLT DEPARTED ON AN IFR FLT PLAN WITHOUT BEING RELEASED INTO THE IFR SYS.

Narrative: THIS EVENT OCCURRED ON MY FIRST IFR FLT AFTER HAVING PASSED MY INST EXAMINATION. THE EVENT IN QUESTION TOOK PLACE AT THE START OF THE THIRD LEG OF MY FLT, WHICH INITIATED AT ZZZ1 TO ZZZ2 FOLLOWED BY ZZZ2 TO ZZZ3 AND FINALLY ZZZ3 TO ZZZ1. THE WX CONDITIONS OVER THE ROUTES WERE IMC WITH VERY LOW CLOUDS AND FOG, WITH IMPROVED CONDITIONS FROM ABOUT NOON. IFR FLT PLANS WERE FILED FOR EACH OF THE LEGS, WITH CLRNCS OBTAINED AT EACH INSTANCE. AT AVO I CALLED GND CTL AT THE RAMP AND REQUESTED ACTIVATION OF MY FILED FLT PLAN. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY, BUT CLRED ME FOR ZZZ1 AS FILED WITH 3000 FT AND 6000 FT AFTER 10000 FT A FREQ TO CONTACT AND A SQUAWK CODE. BEING VERY NEW TO IFR FLT AND FOR THE FIRST TIME ON MY OWN, I ASSUMED I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF, AND THAT I NEEDED TO CONTACT CTL ONCE AIRBORNE, A RESIDUAL FROM MY VFR EXPERIENCE. I DO NOT RECALL BEING TOLD THAT THE FREQ GIVEN WAS TO OBTAIN A RELEASE TIME AND SO IT DID NOT REGISTER IN MY MIND THAT THERE WAS A STEP IN THE PROCESS I NEEDED TO FOLLOW. I CERTAINLY BECAME QUITE PAINFULLY AWARE OF MY MISTAKE BY THE CTLR AFTER CONTACT WITH ATC. ALTHOUGH I RECEIVED EXCELLENT TRAINING ON APCHS, HOLDS, INTERCEPTS AND ALL THE REQUIRED SYLLABUS FOR INST RATE QUALIFICATION, I DID NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY DURING MY IFR TRAINING TO ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE FIRST HAND SOME OF THE ON THE GND PROCS AND ATC COMS REQUIRED BY IFR FLT AS MOST OF THE TRAINING WAS DONE UNDER VFR CONDITIONS. I HAVE THE THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE, BUT I ADMIT AND ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FACT THAT I DID NOT THINK THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS AS IS EXPECTED FROM AN INST RATED PLT. AS SOON AS I GOT BACK TO BASE I CALLED MY INSTRUCTOR AND HAVE REQUESTED THAT WE ANALYZE AND DISCUSS MY PERFORMANCE ON THIS TRIP AND PURSUE FURTHER TRAINING ON ISSUES HAVING TO DO MAINLY WITH ATC COMS. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED PLT'S ASSOCIATION GROUP ON THIS ISSUE AND SOUGHT THEIR ADVICE. I LOVE AND RESPECT FLYING, AND UNDERSTAND THAT MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS A PLT CAN ONLY BE MET BY SAFE PERFORMANCE AND FULL UNDERSTANDING AND FOLLOWING OF THE RULES. TO THAT END I WILL SEEK ADVICE AND TRAINING ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS AND HOPEFULLY ELIMINATE LEARNING BY MY MISTAKES.

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.