Question about route filing

[Lorenh]

Today I flew from SMO to SMX. I was expecting to fly the RWY 21 departure procedure which terminates at SADDE intersection, so I filed the following route.

SADDE V299 VTU V25 RZS RZS286R KOAKS

My clearance was to fly the RWY heading until crossing the LAX 315 radial, then immediate right turn to 250 and expect radar vectors to V299. I think ATC planned on radar vectors to V299 because my equipment suffix is /Alpha. But the departure procedure is flyable with VORs and DME as SADDE intersection is marked as 18 DME from LAX on the 276 radial. V299 is the 276 radial off of LAX.

If I specifically wanted the departure procedure, should I have included it in the route I filed, or is that something you ask ATC for at the time you're receiving your clearance?

[Kevin_atc]

That'll typically be something you can request when you check in with departure. "Socal departure, N123, 2000, climbing 3000, with a request." Then when they tell you to say request, you can tell them you'd like to join V299 at SADDE via the LAX276R.

[Pieces]

The clearance you got is the standard instrument departure out of SMO. You are correct that the published departure procedure is flyable /A, but the problem is how close you get to LAX departures if you follow it. Bring up a low altitude chart and check out where the SMO210R intersects V299 (LAX276R). You end up pretty close to LAX (about 6 miles). The clearance you got makes sure you stay out of LAX's way.

[wmburns]

I have a couple of questions about the departure procedure out of KSMO. I have to admit to be confused by the clearance as well.

If the cross LAX315R is a standard departure procedure does it have a name? If so what is it? I am unable to locate it.

It does appear similar to the PEEER1 RNAV DP except that the PEEER intersection is West of V299.

What is the proper short hand way to file the departure procedure? Is it something like:

RH LAX315R RT 250 RV V299 ....

How does one indicate the "crossing LAX315R" part of the flight plan? As written above, I might attempt to fly along LAX315R which would be wrong.

On another note, the PEEER1 DP seems unusual. IE the instruction to fly a heading (210) until a specific 255 heading to PEEER. What is the correct way to fly this? For example use the "direct to" and wait for the bearing to the waypoint to be 255?

[Keith Smith]

It's common for airports to have a series of turns or headings that are issued prior to the filed route. Some of those instructions can't be expressed via the standard notation in flight plans, nor is there a need for it.

SMO just happens to have a particularly hairy set of instructions. At my local airport it used to be, "upon entering controlled airspace, proceed direct the MOREE locator outer marker, direct Chatham NDB radar vectors [first fix]". Out of a nearby Class D, Caldwell, it's "turn left heading 180, radar vectors [first fix]" etc.

Don't sweat it. File the preferred routes or TEC routes and the controllers will tack on what they need to get you onto the route.

[Cyrus]

Speaking of TEC routes, it is valid and acceptable to put only the name of the TEC route in the "route" box in the PE flight plan?

e.g. "ONTN11" rather than "PDZ V186 ROBNN V458 OCN"

...and if you do this, can you avoid a full read back of the entire route, with the understanding and assumption that you know what the route entails?

(actually, I'm thinking that it is *not* ok to do this now, after just looking at the defaults in boxes 9 and 10 on the PE web-based filing page... still, just making sure...)

[Pieces]

Speaking of TEC routes, it is valid and acceptable to put only the name of the TEC route in the "route" box in the PE flight plan?

Yep, that is perfectly fine. See the discussion here: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3320&p=21210

[Keith Smith]

Also take a look at some r/w flights, here's one from MYF to POC: http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N811 ... /KMYF/KPOC

Note the route.

[Cyrus]

I generally don't like this phrase, but it seems to fit for right now...

Cool beans!

[jtek]

If the cross LAX315R is a standard departure procedure does it have a name? If so what is it? I am unable to locate it.

It does appear similar to the PEEER1 RNAV DP except that the PEEER intersection is West of V299.

Just for fun, I always file the PEEER1 when departing SMO in the real world. I've never been assigned it in my clearance, nor has anybody else I know. I'm not sure why it even exists. There is a PEEER2 scheduled for publication on 5/29/2014. It should be interesting to see what changes or if they start actually assigning it.