Flew home this afternoon from San Carlos (SQL), and picked up my IFR clearance which surprised me with its complexity and mix of IFR and VFR items. The airport is located south of SFO, but it’s a pretty small airport with not much traffic, so I expected a pretty simple clearance with vectors to one of the nearby airways or VORs. Weather was clear with some haze, so I guess that’s why they mixed in the VFR bits.
My notes:
SEE RWHD DIWTR H120 2MI V OSI V25 SNS V137 AVE FIL VFR 1100 TIL OAK 165 2/7/5 135.65 3204
Which means:
Cleared to Gillespie airport (KSEE), after departure fly runway heading until passing the diamond-shaped waterway, then fly heading 120 within 2 miles of the airport, vectors to Woodside VOR (OSI), then Victor 25 airway to Salinas (SNS), then Victor 137 airway to Avenal (AVE), then as filed. Maintain VFR altitude at or below 1100 feet until passing the Oakland (OAK) 165 radial, then maintain 2000 feet, expect 7000 feet five minutes after departure, departure frequency 135.65, squawk 3204.
The good news is I flew it without any SNAFUs. So much more fun than dealing with the airlines!!
Anyone else getting interesting or complicated clearances lately?
Posted by brianflys 
