Narrative:

This incident concerns the misunderstanding and not following instructions as given by ATC. For the return trip I walked to the FSS on the field and filed a new flight plan from sby to mfv (45 NM). The FSS specialist advised me that conditions were obviously VFR (6000-7000'/15 mi) and to contact passenger river clearance delivery to pick up my clearance. This I did while taxiing to the active runway. Clearance delivery read my clearance and instructed 'hold for release.' herein is the problem. I have just received my IFR rating and this is only the second time I have filed IFR (west/O the instrument). I have been taking such flts as this to learn the system and be a better pilot. At any rate, my understanding (ignorance) of 'hold for release' means that in an uncontrolled environment (sby has just the FSS), I could takeoff (VFR) and get my release in the air. This is what I did. When I called approach for my release, he wanted to know who had given me the release. I said that I thought it should come from him. He said I should have picked it up on the ground. Then he gave me my clearance and release to mfv as filed. I now know when they say 'hold for release' it means to hold on the ground and wait. Being in an uncontrolled/VFR environment is no license to takeoff when instructed to hold. However, since at my home airport you must be airborne in order to receive a radio signal I thought the same was true here. Conclusion: the approach plates should make it plain who to contact and when. I made a mistake and learned a lesson. To learn the ATC system was the original intent of such flts. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter now understands the difference between operation VFR and IFR and knows cannot depart IFR west/O release even though has received clearance.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA INSTRUCTED TO HOLD FOR RELEASE TOOK OFF FROM NON TWR ARPT WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT CONCERNS THE MISUNDERSTANDING AND NOT FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS AS GIVEN BY ATC. FOR THE RETURN TRIP I WALKED TO THE FSS ON THE FIELD AND FILED A NEW FLT PLAN FROM SBY TO MFV (45 NM). THE FSS SPECIALIST ADVISED ME THAT CONDITIONS WERE OBVIOUSLY VFR (6000-7000'/15 MI) AND TO CONTACT PAX RIVER CLRNC DELIVERY TO PICK UP MY CLRNC. THIS I DID WHILE TAXIING TO THE ACTIVE RWY. CLRNC DELIVERY READ MY CLRNC AND INSTRUCTED 'HOLD FOR RELEASE.' HEREIN IS THE PROB. I HAVE JUST RECEIVED MY IFR RATING AND THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND TIME I HAVE FILED IFR (W/O THE INSTR). I HAVE BEEN TAKING SUCH FLTS AS THIS TO LEARN THE SYS AND BE A BETTER PLT. AT ANY RATE, MY UNDERSTANDING (IGNORANCE) OF 'HOLD FOR RELEASE' MEANS THAT IN AN UNCTLED ENVIRONMENT (SBY HAS JUST THE FSS), I COULD TKOF (VFR) AND GET MY RELEASE IN THE AIR. THIS IS WHAT I DID. WHEN I CALLED APCH FOR MY RELEASE, HE WANTED TO KNOW WHO HAD GIVEN ME THE RELEASE. I SAID THAT I THOUGHT IT SHOULD COME FROM HIM. HE SAID I SHOULD HAVE PICKED IT UP ON THE GND. THEN HE GAVE ME MY CLRNC AND RELEASE TO MFV AS FILED. I NOW KNOW WHEN THEY SAY 'HOLD FOR RELEASE' IT MEANS TO HOLD ON THE GND AND WAIT. BEING IN AN UNCTLED/VFR ENVIRONMENT IS NO LICENSE TO TKOF WHEN INSTRUCTED TO HOLD. HOWEVER, SINCE AT MY HOME ARPT YOU MUST BE AIRBORNE IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A RADIO SIGNAL I THOUGHT THE SAME WAS TRUE HERE. CONCLUSION: THE APCH PLATES SHOULD MAKE IT PLAIN WHO TO CONTACT AND WHEN. I MADE A MISTAKE AND LEARNED A LESSON. TO LEARN THE ATC SYS WAS THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF SUCH FLTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR NOW UNDERSTANDS THE DIFFERENCE BTWN OPERATION VFR AND IFR AND KNOWS CANNOT DEPART IFR W/O RELEASE EVEN THOUGH HAS RECEIVED CLRNC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.