IFR Departure Clearance (CRAFT)

intermediateUS phraseology
✈ Cessna 172📡 Centennial Clearance Delivery⏱ ~5 minutes💬 3 exchanges

Copy and read back a full IFR departure clearance from Clearance Delivery using the CRAFT format — Cleared-to, Route, Altitude, departure Frequency and Transponder squawk. Learn the verbatim readback that lets the controller say "readback correct", and why "roger" is never a readback.

Briefing

You are IFR from Centennial (KAPA) to Colorado Springs (KCOS) in Cessna 172 N123AB. You are stopped on the ramp with your clearance ready to copy. Call Centennial Clearance Delivery and pick up your IFR clearance. This is US phraseology — the decimal is spoken "point".

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What this scenario covers

  1. Exchange 1

    Call Centennial Clearance Delivery and request your IFR clearance to Colorado Springs. Tell them you are ready to copy.

    💡 Use your full callsign on first contact and say where you are going. "Ready to copy" tells the controller you have a pen ready for the CRAFT clearance.

  2. Exchange 2

    ATC: “Cessna Three Alpha Bravo, cleared to Colorado Springs Airport as filed. Climb and maintain seven thousand, expect one two thousand one zero minutes after departure. Departure frequency one two zero point three five, squawk four two one seven.”

    Read back the WHOLE clearance in the CRAFT order: cleared-to, route, altitude, frequency, squawk. Every element is a mandatory readback.

    💡 A full verbatim readback is what lets the controller compare it against what they issued and confirm "readback correct". "Roger" acknowledges receipt, not accuracy — never use it for a clearance.

  3. Exchange 3

    ATC: “Cessna Three Alpha Bravo, readback correct. Contact Ground one two one point niner when ready to taxi.”

    The controller confirmed your readback was correct and gave you the Ground frequency. Read back the frequency.

    💡 "Readback correct" is the controller closing the loop on your clearance. A frequency change is a mandatory readback — read it back in full, including which service you are calling.

Background reading

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