ATC cancelled my IFR while airborn

C

ColoradoPilot

New Member
Interesting question for the ATC out there, I'm not sure how this all works. I was going from KGXY to KPVU and flying over Salt Lake International airport on an IFR flight plan (we have to go up through WY due to altitude restructions through the Rockies, my plane being unpressurized and all). Right before the last ridge of mtns before overflying (above class B airspace) Salt Lake International, the ARTCC controller said that Salt Lake didn't want to "deal with me" and said I had to go VFR from that point on. I said there was marginal VFR ahead and I would prefer to stay IFR. ARTCC then talked to (approach I assume) and came back and said we could take a detour to the south, what to us would have been two hours, and we didn't have the fuel for that. I explained that to them, and she said, well, you can try to pick your way through the mtns north, the visibility is better that way. All in all, I was hung out to dry an hour from any airport (aside from SLC International). I was able to pick my way throught the MVFR stuff on the exact same route I had filed, just not talking to anyone.

Is there a better way *I* should have handled something? A better way to file? I've flown this EXACT route dozens of times, with absolutely no issues. Typically the vectoring altitudes in the area mean I can get vecotred away from SLC if needed, and has been done most of the time. But leaving a pilot to MVFR was kind of annoying.

Happy Flying to all!
 
I have never had ATC cancel an IFR services enroute without my asking them to do so. I have been in certain areas where they say "radar service terminated" or "radar service lost", but never just "You have to go VFR."
 
Same here, that's why I find this weird. They still had me on radar, and I've never lost radar on that segment of flight before. Only time I've ever had an issue with ATC there. I didn't want to go north because of reported severe mtn waves and associated wind speeds being way higher to the north.
 
atc cant cancel your IFR, they can make life so miserable for you though, that you'll cancel IFR.
 
Call whichever Center you were being handled by on the phone and speak to a supervisor or a manager.
 
Thats why, you could have continued your IFR route without being in the system through G..

Its never happened to me but I have had friends get dropped in G and given a freq to pick up when they hit controlled airspace again. But you can fly in G IFR without a flight plan.
 
I got cancelled by Houston center last weekend. The controller should have told me "radar contact lost", but he told me "IFR cancelled contact houston center on XXX.X". I questioned him, he told me the same thing again. I was low due to a strong head wind 040. I climbed to 045 and called the new freq. I told him what the last controller did, and he was shocked at what I was telling him. He told me to go back to 040, I was still IFR, and report HEZ". He came back and told me he was training and very new to the radar side.


So, where was the Trainer??? My trainer would have been all over that as soon as I unkeyed the mic.
 
ATC: "IFR cancelled!"
Pilot: "But I'm in Class A airspace, I need to be on an IFR flight plan legally!"
ATC: "Then expect an FAA inspector to meet you on the ground to violate you!"
 
I would have told them IMC, and unless they want blood on their hands, I MUST remain IFR. When they give me a re-route, "unable, not enough fuel."

In all reality, I think you handled yourself well by keeping your cool and not shooting the messenger (the guy who you were currently talking to). But definatly should have asked him for initials and a time stamp.
 
"Okay, I'd like to declare an emergency. I'll need you to mark the tapes and give me a good number to call once I land."

Don't mess with the safety of my flight.:mad:

I'll work with ATC any time I get the chance. It normally ends up working out for both of us. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but some day that 60 degree turn is going to get me direct when I'm running behind!

That said, if I need to be on a routing for weather, fuel, etc and that's what I was cleared for...I'm not going 2 hours out of the way because someone doesn't want to deal with me.

-mini
 
Yes, I stand corrected that WOULD be class E airspace, and through the mtns like that, I have to remain on the Victor airways since the off route altitudes are too high for me to get. Thanks for all the feedback, I appreciate it!
 
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