Narrative:

I am a former airline pilot; now flying in cpr aviation. I have encountered several problems with approach plates recently which create dangerous sits in the cockpit. In addition to those problems; I have many times encountered an ATC clearance problem that just simply does not have to exist. We are often given a clearance that reads something like 'you are cleared direct abcde intersection; direct fghij intxns; XXX VOR 123 degree radial to klmno intersection then flight plan route.' now; while supervising fueling; loading the baggage; briefing the passenger and setting up the cockpit for departure; we are forced to dig out charts that we might not normally have out; then try to find the VOR in question and trace out the radial; only to find that the given radial is a direct route from fghij to klmno. If we have the equipment to proceed direct to the first 2 intxns; we obviously have the equipment to proceed direct to the third. Why not just give us direct to all three? Why confuse the issue by throwing in a VOR and a radial; when both are completely unnecessary and serve only to create confusion? I have had this happen many; many times all over the country; from teterboro to san francisco. Often the VOR is not even on our route; but one of its radials just happens to line up with the 2 intxns in question. Please tell the FAA to make it simple. If it is a direct route between intxns; just give us direct. We do not need to hear about VOR's and radials. That only serves to create confusion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR PLT SUGGESTS AN ATC METHOD OF SIMPLIFYING CLRNCS TO PLTS THAT IS MORE DIRECT AND INVOLVING LESS NAV COMPLEXITY.

Narrative: I AM A FORMER AIRLINE PLT; NOW FLYING IN CPR AVIATION. I HAVE ENCOUNTERED SEVERAL PROBS WITH APCH PLATES RECENTLY WHICH CREATE DANGEROUS SITS IN THE COCKPIT. IN ADDITION TO THOSE PROBS; I HAVE MANY TIMES ENCOUNTERED AN ATC CLRNC PROB THAT JUST SIMPLY DOES NOT HAVE TO EXIST. WE ARE OFTEN GIVEN A CLRNC THAT READS SOMETHING LIKE 'YOU ARE CLRED DIRECT ABCDE INTXN; DIRECT FGHIJ INTXNS; XXX VOR 123 DEG RADIAL TO KLMNO INTXN THEN FLT PLAN RTE.' NOW; WHILE SUPERVISING FUELING; LOADING THE BAGGAGE; BRIEFING THE PAX AND SETTING UP THE COCKPIT FOR DEP; WE ARE FORCED TO DIG OUT CHARTS THAT WE MIGHT NOT NORMALLY HAVE OUT; THEN TRY TO FIND THE VOR IN QUESTION AND TRACE OUT THE RADIAL; ONLY TO FIND THAT THE GIVEN RADIAL IS A DIRECT RTE FROM FGHIJ TO KLMNO. IF WE HAVE THE EQUIP TO PROCEED DIRECT TO THE FIRST 2 INTXNS; WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE THE EQUIP TO PROCEED DIRECT TO THE THIRD. WHY NOT JUST GIVE US DIRECT TO ALL THREE? WHY CONFUSE THE ISSUE BY THROWING IN A VOR AND A RADIAL; WHEN BOTH ARE COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY AND SERVE ONLY TO CREATE CONFUSION? I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN MANY; MANY TIMES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY; FROM TETERBORO TO SAN FRANCISCO. OFTEN THE VOR IS NOT EVEN ON OUR RTE; BUT ONE OF ITS RADIALS JUST HAPPENS TO LINE UP WITH THE 2 INTXNS IN QUESTION. PLEASE TELL THE FAA TO MAKE IT SIMPLE. IF IT IS A DIRECT RTE BTWN INTXNS; JUST GIVE US DIRECT. WE DO NOT NEED TO HEAR ABOUT VOR'S AND RADIALS. THAT ONLY SERVES TO CREATE CONFUSION.

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.