Cruise Clearances

[Stinger]

I'm wondering if this would be a correct way to use a cruise clearance:
-aircraft departs VFR to a practice area
-gets to the practice area at 5,000, but there's a cloud layer above
-wants to get an IFR clearance to get through the clouds and then cancel IFR on top

The way I do it now is saying, "cleared to airport via radar vectors, fly heading xxx, climb and maintain 10,000, report cancellation when able."

If I gave a cruise clearance, could I then say, "cleared to airport, cruise 10,000, report cancellation when able."
And also to get below the layer when returning, "cleared to airport, cruise 3,000, report cancellation when able."

I've never used one before, but from what I can find it seems like they're always used as a controller hands-off way to get in to an airport. I'm not seeing anything that says I can't use them for aircraft looking to get through a cloud layer.

 

[FM_Weasel]

I guess you could but I just don't see the benefit. I don't see the benefit of cruise clearances in the radar terminal environment anyway. The only time a pilot asked for one while I was working, he used it to make a weirdo and probably illegal approach to a non towered airport in an area that was pretty hard IFR.

Leave cruise clearances to the center pukes in mountainous / Class G airspace areas. They're handed out in places where nobody cares what the aircraft does, but the IFR flight plan is still desired.

I think the PCG does a good job of explaining a cruise clearance. I wouldn't expend much effort finding other creative uses for it:

CRUISE− Used in an ATC clearance to authorize a pilot to conduct flight at any altitude from the minimum IFR altitude up to and including the altitude specified in the clearance. The pilot may level off at any intermediate altitude within this block of airspace. Climb/descent within the block is to be made at the discretion of the pilot. However, once the pilot starts descent and verbally reports leaving an altitude in the block, he/she may not return to that altitude without additional ATC clearance. Further, it is approval for the pilot to proceed to and make an approach at destination airport and can be used in conjunction with:

a. An airport clearance limit at locations with a standard/special instrument approach procedure. The CFRs require that if an instrument letdown to an airport is necessary, the pilot shall make the letdown in accordance with a standard/special instrument approach procedure for that airport, or

b. An airport clearance limit at locations that are within/below/outside controlled airspace and without a standard/special instrument approach procedure. Such a clearance is NOT AUTHORIZATION for the pilot to descend under IFR conditions below the applicable minimum IFR altitude nor does it imply that ATC is exercising control over aircraft in Class G airspace; however, it provides a means for the aircraft to proceed to destination airport, descend, and land in accordance with applicable CFRs governing VFR flight operations. Also, this provides search and rescue protection until such time as the IFR flight plan is closed.

But here's the .65 rule for it as well, just for grins:

7110.65W
4−5−7. ALTITUDE INFORMATION

Issue altitude instructions as follows:

a. Altitude to maintain or cruise. When issuing
cruise in conjunction with an airport clearance limit
and an unpublished route will be used, issue an
appropriate crossing altitude to ensure terrain
clearance until the aircraft reaches a fix, point, or
route where the altitude information is available to
the pilot. When issuing a cruise clearance to an airport
which does not have a published instrument
approach, a cruise clearance without a crossing
restriction may be issued.

NOTE−
1. The crossing altitude must assure IFR obstruction
clearance to the point where the aircraft is established on
a segment of a published route or instrument approach
procedure.

2. When an aircraft is issued a cruise clearance to an
airport which does not have a published instrument
approach procedure, it is not possible to satisfy the
requirement for a crossing altitude that will ensure terrain
clearance until the aircraft reaches a fix, point, or route
where altitude information is available to the pilot. Under
those conditions, a cruise clearance without a crossing
restriction authorizes a pilot to determine the minimum
IFR altitude as prescribed in 14 CFR Section 91.177 and
descend to it at pilot discretion if it is lower than the altitude
specified in the cruise clearance.

 

[Stinger]

I was looking through the 7110 a couple days ago trying to find Cruise clearance information and the only thing I found was that section 4-5-7. It gives no examples or phraseology, so I thought there had to be another section about it. I spent too long looking until I decided that's all the book had on them.

 

[FM_Weasel]

Well the phraseology is in that section. It's just short and sweet.

"CRUISE (altitude)" done

But yes, that's all you get, along with the PCG entry. I think the PCG entry is more descriptive.

 

[Stinger]

With everything else the FAA requires us to say, that just seemed too short haha
It would be so nice if everything else was that short, but I guess cruises aren't used often enough that the lawyers have felt like they needed to muddy it up yet.

 

[Ozelot]

Leave cruise clearances to the center pukes in mountainous / Class G airspace areas. They're handed out in places where nobody cares what the aircraft does, but the IFR flight plan is still desired.:

Nailed it! When I was a center puke I used them for exactly that reason.