Pilot questions ATC handling for tower enroute clearance.

Attributes
ACN	124186
Time
Date	198909
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dwh
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 124 flight time total : 908 flight time type : 213
ASRS Report	124186
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : clearance delivery
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I called dwh clearance controller and requested a tec clearance to west houston-lakeside (iws). Reply was to call FSS and file. Then asked for stage III services to iws (figuring I could get approach controller to give me an IFR clearance since I was already in the system. Reply was the same, call FSS and file. I pointed out to controller that a flight plan was not a requirement. He stated it was. Since I was running late and the WX was clearing, I took off VFR, skirted the iah TCA and landed uneventfully. The FAA claims to want to have pilots participate in the system, why do they make it so bloody hard to do so!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT QUESTIONS ATC HANDLING FOR TWR ENROUTE CLRNC.

Narrative: I CALLED DWH CLRNC CTLR AND REQUESTED A TEC CLRNC TO WEST HOUSTON-LAKESIDE (IWS). REPLY WAS TO CALL FSS AND FILE. THEN ASKED FOR STAGE III SERVICES TO IWS (FIGURING I COULD GET APCH CTLR TO GIVE ME AN IFR CLRNC SINCE I WAS ALREADY IN THE SYSTEM. REPLY WAS THE SAME, CALL FSS AND FILE. I POINTED OUT TO CTLR THAT A FLT PLAN WAS NOT A REQUIREMENT. HE STATED IT WAS. SINCE I WAS RUNNING LATE AND THE WX WAS CLEARING, I TOOK OFF VFR, SKIRTED THE IAH TCA AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THE FAA CLAIMS TO WANT TO HAVE PLTS PARTICIPATE IN THE SYSTEM, WHY DO THEY MAKE IT SO BLOODY HARD TO DO SO!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.