Issuing Clearances

In the following ATCast video, brought to you by SATCA (external link)

and the University of North Dakota, you will learn the basics of Clearance Delivery.

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The CRAFT Acronym

IFR Clearances

If you listened to the above example of a clearance, you may be thinking, "There is a lot to remember". While it may seem like a lot of information, there is an acronym which will help you remember the different aspects of the clearance. It is known as the "CRAFT" acronym.

C (Clearance Limit) - The first portion of the CRAFT acronym is the "C" or Clearance Limit. The clearance limit is the furthest point along a route that an aircraft may fly. Usually it is the destination, but it can be any fix along the aircraft's route. Phraseology: "CLEARED TO (clearance limit)"

R (Route) - The second portion of the CRAFT acronym is the "R" or Route. This is the method that the aircraft is going to use to get to the clearance limit. There are two ways to issue the "R" portion of the CRAFT Acronym: Using an "abbreviated (as filed) clearance" and a "full route clearance".

Abbreviated Clearance - This is the most common form of clearance that you will hear. You will issue the phraseology listed below depending on which departure procedure they utilize:

Radar Vectored Departure - Phraseology: "(sid), RADAR VECTORS (transition/fix), THEN AS FILED"
Pilot Nav/Hybrid Departure and exiting at a published transition - Phraseology: "(sid) departure, (transition name) TRANSITION, THEN AS FILED"
Pilot Nav/Hybrid Departure and not exiting at a published transition - Phraseology: "(sid) departure, THEN AS FILED"
No departure procedure - Phraseology: "RADAR VECTORS (fix/airway), THEN AS FILED"

What if I have to amend their route??

Anytime you change an aircraft's filed route, you must readback the entire portion of the route that was amended, using the appropriate clearance. After you have read the amendment, then state the phrase "then as filed".

Example

Original route: OXI MIE DQN ROD
Amended route:DNV VHP DQN ROD

Then you would say, "radar vectors Danville (DNV) DIRECT Brickyard (VHP), DIRECT Dayton (DQN) then as filed".

Full Route Clearance - A Full Route Clearance is one in which you read back the entire portion of the route to the pilot. Sometimes pilots may request this to confirm their route of flight. There are some small rules in regards to reading full route clearances.

Controller will read the entire route to the pilot
Anytime you see a three letter identifier, it is a VOR, NDB, TACAN, or AIRPORT. If the three letter identifier is at the end of the flight plan it is an airport. If it is somewhere in the middle of the route then it is a NAVAID. Sometimes an identifier may represent a NAVAID and an AIRPORT. Take DQN as an example. If it is in at the end of a route as in OXI MIE DQN it stands for the "Dayton International Airport" and is read as such, however, if it is in the middle of the flight plan as in OXI MIE DQN APE then it is a NAVAID and is simply read as "DAYTON". If their last fix is the AIRPORT, and is the clearance limit (usually will be), then you would not restate the airport as you already indicated it in the "C" portion of the CRAFT acronym.
Anything with five letters is either an intersection, DME Fix, or GPS Waypoint and is read in the way that it is spelled. Example SILKS is pronounced "SILKS", RAVNN is pronounced "RAVEN"
Airways are pronounced as "VICTOR (number)" for Victor airways and "J (number)" for Jet Routes. V242 is pronounced "VICTOR two forty two" and and J61 is pronounced as "Jay sixty one".
When a three letter identifier (VOR/NDB/TACAN/AIRPORT) is next too another three letter identifier. You would state the word "DIRECT" between the identifiers.

Example #1: "OXI MIE DQN" would be read as "Radar vectors Knox, direct Muncie, direct Dayton."
Example #2: "OXI MIE V192 DQN" would be read as "Radar vectors Knox, direct Muncie, Victor 192, Dayton"
Example #3: "INDY4 DQN APE V43 TVT KEATN4" would be read as "Indy Four Departure, radar vectors Dayton, Direct Appleton, Victor 43, Tiverton, Keaton Four Arrival"

A (Altitude) - The third portion of the CRAFT acronym is the "A" or "Altitude". This is the altitude information that will be given to the pilot. Usually it contains an initial altitude as well as a statement telling the aircraft to expect its final cruise altitude so many minutes after departure (usually 10). The initial altitude is aircraft type/airport specific. The reason why we tell the aircraft to expect their cruise altitude after so many minutes is for lost communication procedures which is generally not a problem here on VATSIM. Phraseology: "MAINTAIN (initial altitude). EXPECT (final cruise) ONE ZERO MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE"

Did you know...

If the pilot is flying a Standard Instrument Departure, and that departure states their initial altitude, when to expect their final cruise, and their departure frequency, then you can omit those in your clearance. Remember though that not all pilots may have read the chart, so keep this in mind when using this shortcut.

F (Frequency) - The fourth portion of the CRAFT acronym is the "F" or "Frequency". This is the frequency in which the aircraft will switch too after leaving towers airspace. It usually is DEP/APP but may also be CTR if the APP/DEP controller is not online. Phraseology: "DEPARTURE FREQUENCY (frequency)"

T (Transponder) - The final portion of the CRAFT acronym is the "T" or "Transponder". This is the squawk code that you will issue to the pilot. Phraseology: "SQUAWK (squawk code)"

VFR Clearances

VFR Class Bravo Clearance

Lets look at how the CRAFT acronym works for an aircraft leaving a Class Bravo airport.

C (Clearance Limit) - Issuing the "C" portion of the CRAFT acronym will depend upon the airspace in which the aircraft is departing.

Class Charlie - You will skip this portion of the CRAFT Acronym for a Class Charlie VFR Departure.
Class Bravo - Unlike a VFR departure out of a Charlie field, with the Bravo, you are going to use the word "cleared". You will also need to state the name of the Bravo airspace in which he is leaving. Phraseology: "CLEARED OUT OF THE (airport) CLASS BRAVO"

R (Route) - This will not apply to VFR aircraft departing Bravo airspace unless otherwise specified by the Standard Operating Procedures of the airport.

A (Altitude) - The Altitude is the same as it would be for a VFR leaving the Charlie. Phraseology: "MAINTAIN VFR AT OR BELOW (altitude)"

F (Frequency) - You will need give the aircraft the departure frequency. Phraseology: "DEPARTURE FREQUENCY (frequency)"

T (Transponder) - You will also issue a squawk code to the aircraft. Phraseology: "SQUAWK (squawk code)"

VFR Clearance Examples

Successful Readback and Summary

Now you should have a good understanding of how to correctly issue both a VFR and an IFR clearance. Make sure that the pilot correctly readsback the clearance and once they do, you can tell have them contact ground. "CONTACT GROUND (frequency)" Your job as Clearance Delivery is complete.

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