Aviation > Pilot/Controller Forum

Filing direct through DUATS

(1/3) > >>

asiAdams:
I've filed several IFR flight plans direct using DUATs and it gives fixes from VORs like for LIT-OKC, "HOT360022 FSM180022 PGO360022 MLC360021 OKM180029".  So Hot Springs r360, 22nm, FSM r180, 22nm, etc.
This is pretty easy to figure out, not too difficult to use, but none of the controllers I've gotten clearances from seem to have ever seen this before and usually ask what the heck all that junk is on a direct.
Any ATC'rs deal with this, care, would prefer I delete the radial fixes from the plan? I've never filed using any other service so I don't know how the flight plan usually comes out, but the responses I've gotten to this seems to indicate it's not liked.

Thx for any thoughts/comments!

captray:
Hey there!
I too have seen the weird radials and stuff on DUATS. This seems only to happen when you file Direct to a destination. Domestically I use Flightplan.com it's free and highly accurate. Also, it has a section where you can see what others have filed and most of all what they received from ATC.

Jason:
One word: fltplan.com  :-)

cessna157:
Jason, I agree 100%    Fltplan.com is a miracle sent from heaven.  Or its a really nice website that someone designed.  Either way, it's freakin great

jmcmanna:
When I'm working approach and I have get a strip out of the printer for someone coming through my airspace and I've never heard of where he's coming from or where he's going, it becomes a game as to whose airspace he'll go into next, how long he'll be in my airspace, where he's coming from, etc...  I like having exact points in space where an aircraft is going along his route of flight.  As far as clearance delivery is concerned, if a controller doesn't know what OKC360022 (or similar) means, he needs to go ask his supervisor for some remedial training.  All he has to say is "cleared as filed" or "cleared via (airport specific routing/procedure), vector to the OKC 360 radial at 22 DME, then as filed".

From the first post, I'm not sure if you mean DUATS is putting in those VOR radials and DMEs when it sends the flight plan, or if you are opting to include them even though it will let you send them without.  Assuming you're intentionally including them, as a pilot, be prepared to navigate directly to one of those points in space from somewhere off of your route.  Here's what I mean . . .

. . . Let's say you're level at 6000, and you have to cross over my departure area for the main airport in my airspace.  I might give a 30 degree turn and let you run for 15 miles on a heading, then say "Proceed direct the West Bend 250 radial at 23 DME, then resume own navigation".  If you don't have that ability, then there's a problem.  If you can't do that, then personally I'll say "cleared direct" to your destination, get annoyed, go over to the FDIO and take all of the fixes and radials out of your flight plan, which might take some time.  Then I'll coordinate with the next facility to make sure they got the amendment, etc . . .  Other controllers might yell at you for filing like that, some might go further with it.

If you are able to navigate to those fixes easily, then there's no problem!  Finally, if you don't want those fixes in there, but DUATS is putting them in automatically and you can't take them out, by all means, use a different website like the ones mentioned before. 

This is what it looks like with all the fixes on the strip:
LIT HOT360022 FSM180022 PGO360022 MLC360021 OKM180029 OKC

Without that stuff, it looks like this:
LIT OKC

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page