Narrative:

Aircraft X taxied out for departure to runway 18L for 1 trip around the pattern. Reference my other traffic; I cleared aircraft X for takeoff and instructed the pilot to make left traffic. As aircraft X turned downwind; I advised that he was #2 to follow aircraft Y on a 4 mi final. At this point the pilot requested an area of airspace to work on a problem. I asked the pilot the nature of the problem and intentions. The pilot advised that his company wanted him to depart for ZZZ1 and they needed time to configure the airplane. I advised that they were #2 to follow aircraft Y; and they could figure out their intentions on the ground. The pilot responded that they had a clearance on file for ZZZ1 and that if they landed; they would not be able to depart. At that point; my supervisor and I coordination with the radar controllers for a clearance and a preliminary altitude for aircraft X. This was accomplished; and aircraft X was on their way to ZZZ1. Originally aircraft X had 3 flight plans in the system; including 1 to work in the center airspace to do some air work. If aircraft X had used this flight plan to do some air work and then requested their clearance to ZZZ1 while in the air; things would have been much simpler. Instead; aircraft X asked for a trip around the pattern; which complicated the coordination required. My personal opinion is that aircraft X either asked for once around the pattern to get a more convenient departure runway assignment; knowing they would ask for their clearance in the air or they knowingly decided to fly a plane with an equipment problem to ZZZ1.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR DESCRIBED EVENT WHEN THREE FLT PLANS WERE ON FILE FOR ONE ACFT CAUSING CONFUSION.

Narrative: ACFT X TAXIED OUT FOR DEP TO RWY 18L FOR 1 TRIP AROUND THE PATTERN. REF MY OTHER TFC; I CLRED ACFT X FOR TKOF AND INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO MAKE L TFC. AS ACFT X TURNED DOWNWIND; I ADVISED THAT HE WAS #2 TO FOLLOW ACFT Y ON A 4 MI FINAL. AT THIS POINT THE PLT REQUESTED AN AREA OF AIRSPACE TO WORK ON A PROB. I ASKED THE PLT THE NATURE OF THE PROB AND INTENTIONS. THE PLT ADVISED THAT HIS COMPANY WANTED HIM TO DEPART FOR ZZZ1 AND THEY NEEDED TIME TO CONFIGURE THE AIRPLANE. I ADVISED THAT THEY WERE #2 TO FOLLOW ACFT Y; AND THEY COULD FIGURE OUT THEIR INTENTIONS ON THE GND. THE PLT RESPONDED THAT THEY HAD A CLRNC ON FILE FOR ZZZ1 AND THAT IF THEY LANDED; THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DEPART. AT THAT POINT; MY SUPVR AND I COORD WITH THE RADAR CTLRS FOR A CLRNC AND A PRELIMINARY ALT FOR ACFT X. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED; AND ACFT X WAS ON THEIR WAY TO ZZZ1. ORIGINALLY ACFT X HAD 3 FLT PLANS IN THE SYS; INCLUDING 1 TO WORK IN THE CENTER AIRSPACE TO DO SOME AIR WORK. IF ACFT X HAD USED THIS FLT PLAN TO DO SOME AIR WORK AND THEN REQUESTED THEIR CLRNC TO ZZZ1 WHILE IN THE AIR; THINGS WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH SIMPLER. INSTEAD; ACFT X ASKED FOR A TRIP AROUND THE PATTERN; WHICH COMPLICATED THE COORD REQUIRED. MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THAT ACFT X EITHER ASKED FOR ONCE AROUND THE PATTERN TO GET A MORE CONVENIENT DEP RWY ASSIGNMENT; KNOWING THEY WOULD ASK FOR THEIR CLRNC IN THE AIR OR THEY KNOWINGLY DECIDED TO FLY A PLANE WITH AN EQUIP PROB TO ZZZ1.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.