Available To Pilots Flying Out Of Manassas Regional Airport

Testing is underway that could eventually lead to pilots being able to file IFR flight plans and get clearances via a smartphone app.

The concept was developed by Mitre Corporation. It allows clearances to be delivered through an electronic flight bag. The goal was to offer a safer, more reliable, and more efficient way to pick up a clearance at a remote airport. The idea got a lot of attention from pilots, especially from instrument pilots who may have occasionally struggled to get cell phone reception in order to call Flight Service, or who may have taken off in marginal VFR conditions to pick up a clearance in the air.

According to Sporty's Pilot Shop, the concept is taking the next step with limited testing at a single airport in Virginia. The test will be for IFR flight plans only, departing Manassas Regional Airport (KHEF), and using ForeFlight (which licenses MTRE mobile expected clearance technology). Participation is completely voluntary, and ForeFlight will contact eligible pilots by email.

The testing is currently underway and will run through July 29. It is designed to be transparent to ATC, so nothing changes from the standpoint of Potomac Approach. Pilots will see their expected clearance via email, but they will still need to read back the clearance on the radio. Even with this limitation, getting a clearance ahead of time should enable pilots to load the route into the panel, and be able to read back the clearance more easily (without scribbling notes frantically).

"Feedback received from this test will be used by researchers to determine any changes or adjustments necessary to move on to subsequent phases of the test," Mitre told Sporty's. "Subsequent phases are designed to move towards a less verbal process for delivering IFR clearances at towered and non-towered airports.” That could mean fully electronic clearance delivery and acceptance at some point, sort of like a pre-departure clearance (PDC) for light general aviation pilots.

Pilots may not be tapping a “request clearance” button in ForeFlight just yet, but this test shows the promise of mobile apps to move beyond scratchy radios and outdated ATC procedures.

(Image from Sporty's iPad Pilot News)

FMI: Original report