In an IFR departure clearance, when is the airport of departure included?

In an IFR departure clearance, when is the airport of departure included?

• A. It is always included
• B. It is included only when the clearance is relayed by a noncontrol facility
• C. It is included only for military flights
• D. It is never included

Answer: (B)

The situation depends on who relays the clearance. When a clearance is issued directly by ATC at the departure facility, the airport of departure isn’t repeated because ATC already knows the origin and the pilot knows where they are departing. But if the clearance is relayed by a non-control facility (for example, a flight service station or another organization that isn’t controlling the airspace), the airport of departure is included to remove any ambiguity about which airport the clearance applies to. This helps ensure everyone is certain about the origin in cases where the relaying source doesn’t have immediate situational awareness of the aircraft’s exact departure point.

The situation depends on who relays the clearance. When a clearance is issued directly by ATC at the departure facility, the airport of departure isn’t repeated because ATC already knows the origin and the pilot knows where they are departing. But if the clearance is relayed by a non-control facility (for example, a flight service station or another organization that isn’t controlling the airspace), the airport of departure is included to remove any ambiguity about which airport the clearance applies to. This helps ensure everyone is certain about the origin in cases where the relaying source doesn’t have immediate situational awareness of the aircraft’s exact departure point.