TEC Routes in actual IFR

[Tol3458]

Got a question on use of TEC Routes, which have this real world pilot on the East Coast a bit confused because I rarely use them (we have "preferred routes" which you can file, but more often than not come back from clearance as "Stand-by for full route clearance"). If you ask for a TEC Route in Low IFR conditions, do you need to have an alternate on hand? Will clearance ask you about fuel on board, souls aboard, etc…?

Thanks

[Peter Grey]

Great question.

So we are dealing with 91.169 here. Here is the full reg for reference.

§91.169 IFR flight plan: Information required.
(a) Information required. Unless otherwise authorized by ATC, each person filing an IFR flight plan must include in it the following information:

(1) Information required under §91.153 (a) of this part;

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, an alternate airport.

(b) Paragraph (a)(2) of this section does not apply if :

(1) Part 97 of this chapter prescribes a standard instrument approach procedure to, or a special instrument approach procedure has been issued by the Administrator to the operator for, the first airport of intended landing; and

(2) Appropriate weather reports or weather forecasts, or a combination of them, indicate the following:

(i) For aircraft other than helicopters. For at least 1 hour before and for 1 hour after the estimated time of arrival, the ceiling will be at least 2,000 feet above the airport elevation and the visibility will be at least 3 statute miles.

(ii) For helicopters. At the estimated time of arrival and for 1 hour after the estimated time of arrival, the ceiling will be at least 1,000 feet above the airport elevation, or at least 400 feet above the lowest applicable approach minima, whichever is higher, and the visibility will be at least 2 statute miles.

(c) IFR alternate airport weather minima. Unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator, no person may include an alternate airport in an IFR flight plan unless appropriate weather reports or weather forecasts, or a combination of them, indicate that, at the estimated time of arrival at the alternate airport, the ceiling and visibility at that airport will be at or above the following weather minima:

(1) If an instrument approach procedure has been published in part 97 of this chapter, or a special instrument approach procedure has been issued by the Administrator to the operator, for that airport, the following minima:

(i) For aircraft other than helicopters: The alternate airport minima specified in that procedure, or if none are specified the following standard approach minima:

(A) For a precision approach procedure. Ceiling 600 feet and visibility 2 statute miles.

(B) For a nonprecision approach procedure. Ceiling 800 feet and visibility 2 statute miles.

(ii) For helicopters: Ceiling 200 feet above the minimum for the approach to be flown, and visibility at least 1 statute mile but never less than the minimum visibility for the approach to be flown, and

(2) If no instrument approach procedure has been published in part 97 of this chapter and no special instrument approach procedure has been issued by the Administrator to the operator, for the alternate airport, the ceiling and visibility minima are those allowing descent from the MEA, approach, and landing under basic VFR.

(d) Cancellation. When a flight plan has been activated, the pilot in command, upon canceling or completing the flight under the flight plan, shall notify an FAA Flight Service Station or ATC facility.

Everything you bring up is covered within that reg. So how does it work for TEC in real IFR.

Well simple answer is "unless otherwise authorized by ATC". In the TEC system you are under that part. A TEC route is an alternate way of getting a clearance and hence falls under the exemption. So legally you don't need to give any of that stuff unless ATC specifically asks (which they generally won't with a TEC clearance).

Note that you are still required to have enough fuel to get to an alternate in poor weather:

§91.167 Fuel requirements for flight in IFR conditions.
(a) No person may operate a civil aircraft in IFR conditions unless it carries enough fuel (considering weather reports and forecasts and weather conditions) to—

(1) Complete the flight to the first airport of intended landing;

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, fly from that airport to the alternate airport; and

(3) Fly after that for 45 minutes at normal cruising speed or, for helicopters, fly after that for 30 minutes at normal cruising speed.

(b) Paragraph (a)(2) of this section does not apply if:

(1) Part 97 of this chapter prescribes a standard instrument approach procedure to, or a special instrument approach procedure has been issued by the Administrator to the operator for, the first airport of intended landing; and

(2) Appropriate weather reports or weather forecasts, or a combination of them, indicate the following:

(i) For aircraft other than helicopters. For at least 1 hour before and for 1 hour after the estimated time of arrival, the ceiling will be at least 2,000 feet above the airport elevation and the visibility will be at least 3 statute miles.

(ii) For helicopters. At the estimated time of arrival and for 1 hour after the estimated time of arrival, the ceiling will be at least 1,000 feet above the airport elevation, or at least 400 feet above the lowest applicable approach minima, whichever is higher, and the visibility will be at least 2 statute miles.

But you don't need to let us know what that alternate is unless we ask.

Note this is different from a pop-up IFR where you will be required to give the information to the tapes as a just in case.

[Keith Smith]

Got a question on use of TEC Routes, which have this real world pilot on the East Coast a bit confused because I rarely use them (we have "preferred routes" which you can file, but more often than not come back from clearance as "Stand-by for full route clearance"). If you ask for a TEC Route in Low IFR conditions, do you need to have an alternate on hand? Will clearance ask you about fuel on board, souls aboard, etc…?

Thanks

That's odd, I use published TEC routes in the NE (NE, NJ, PA, CT, NH) on a frequent basis and get cleared as filed 90% of the time.

[Tol3458]

Perhaps its an "age" thing. When I got my IFR ticket in 1995 it was assumed that an IFR flight began with an IFR Flight Plan. Even "Pop-Up" IFRs required you to go through the flight plan form to delineate fuel on board, souls on board, alternate and the answer to the question "Are you IFR qualified and equipped?" To fly IFR was a kind of contract between pilot and ATC. Obviously, that changed with these TEC route rules, and the instructors I've hired since for my instrument proficiency checks either never bothered to ask me about them or like me never realized them themselves. In this system, flying IFR is as simple as asking for a special VFR clearance. Did the rules change, or was I never informed of them in the first place?

[Keith Smith]

The handling of TEC routes in Socal has been this way for several decades from what I understand. This is not a new change. I have picked up many pop-ups outside of Socal that didn't require me to furnish the controller with all of the information that is found on an IFR flight plan. The 'unless otherwise authorized by ATC' portion is the clause which makes all of this legal.

[Ryan B]

The handling of TEC routes in Socal has been this way for several decades from what I understand. This is not a new change. I have picked up many pop-ups outside of Socal that didn't require me to furnish the controller with all of the information that is found on an IFR flight plan. The 'unless otherwise authorized by ATC' portion is the clause which makes all of this legal.

We don't take down that info anyway.... that's for FSS. Have controllers asked for all that info? Maybe it's just a Duluthism, but I'll tell pilots I can put a quick FP in the system but it won't have "search and rescue" info.

[Peter Grey]

When I've been asked to give the info I was told its "for the tapes" which implies to me that if something bad happen they would pull the tape to get the information.

[Ryan B]

When I've been asked to give the info I was told its "for the tapes" which implies to me that if something bad happen they would pull the tape to get the information.

Hmmmm, odd. That was probably just their facility's "-ism" - what management told the controllers to do in case you crashed and maybe S+R could get the info faster.

You should hear the grumpy (old) guys where I work.... "CALL FLIGHT SERVICE AND MAKE YOUR REQUEST WITH THEM!" lol

[Keith Smith]

I've seen instances of all 3 of these:
- call Flight Service
- go ahead with your flight plan, just for the tapes (ie, say it as quick as you like, the controller isn't copying it down)
- "cleared to...."

[Tol3458]

Interesting. You think of ATC and you think of this giant monolithic system but obviously there is a fair amount of individuality between air space and air traffic controllers.