D01 Makes a C210 VFR to IFR with Magic!

[Lvl8twr]

In this video at about 7:15 in, the C210 is VFR at 8,500 inbound to DEN, and the pilot asks if they are cleared in the Class B airspace. The controller first clears them in, then about 10-15 seconds later climbs them to 9,000 and clears them to DEN via radar vectors and they are now IFR. No IFR flight plan on file, no request made, field was VFR, and they had VFR Flight Following until then.

Oops.

 

[Termine]

An IFR flight plan is not required in order to issue an IFR clearance... but a request for that clearance usually is required.

I would say "Maybe the controller misunderstood the Bravo clearance request" but I would have a really hard time misunderstanding what the pilot said: "Yeah, just want to make sure I'm cleared through the Bravo, and currently on this 180 heading." That doesn't sound like an IFR clearance to me.

Like you said, the controller issues the Bravo clearance at 085, then says this:

"N3BC, climb and maintain 090, you're now cleared to Denver via radar vectors... 3BC I'm showing you IFR at this time."

I can't come up with any justification for that.

 

[32andBelow]

You shouldn’t make someone IFR that didn’t request it. But there’s not much of a difference from giving an IFR pop up or a VFR flight following for the controllers. So I don’t get this take about magic

 

[Slarti Bartfast]

>But there’s not much of a difference from giving an IFR pop up or a VFR flight following for the controllers.

Yeah it's just incredibly illegal for a VFR pilot to accept an IFR clearance.

It sounds like the pilots are IFR capable and they just went with it but if that were me as an inexperienced pilot I would have either not understood what was happening or if I did, panicked that I was about to lose my license.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Based on what I read on Reddit I’m not surprised. Sounds like D01 is a joke.

 

[flypilot]

I would have some serious questions if a controller just made me IFR without me asking. I'm instrument rated but no longer current so also no longer qualified so I couldn't accept that clearance if that were me. It also comes down the to the airplane. I've flown a non IFR airplane when I was instrument current and I still couldn't accept the IFR clearance. You can't just make someone IFR without asking lol

 

[ElTracon]

It's because Denver has parallels that they're doing visuals to. If the aircraft is VFR you need standard class bravo separation between it and everybody on the parallel runways. If they make him IFR they can use 7-4-4 3. (a) which is for 2 aircraft on a visual approach. In that case the 2 aircraft only need 30 degree turn-ons, no other separation is needed.

 

[Deuce]

It's because Denver has parallels that they're doing visuals to. If the aircraft is VFR you need standard class bravo separation between it and everybody on the parallel runways. If they make him IFR they can use 7-4-4 3. (a) which is for 2 aircraft on a visual approach. In that case the 2 aircraft only need 30 degree turn-ons, no other separation is needed.

Just cuz it saves them a mile doesn't mean you can just be like hey you're ifr now without any other exchange on the topic

 

[DankVectorz]

It's because Denver has parallels that they're doing visuals to. If the aircraft is VFR you need standard class bravo separation between it and everybody on the parallel runways. If they make him IFR they can use 7-4-4 3. (a) which is for 2 aircraft on a visual approach. In that case the 2 aircraft only need 30 degree turn-ons, no other separation is needed.

I’m just going to start telling all my traffic they’re vfr now and really save some space

 

[jdatc]

Based on what I read on Reddit I’m not surprised. Sounds like D01 is a joke.

Keep that up and you are in the hold! And that guy better come in through the gate!