Narrative:

I was departing jenison (08C), a small uncontrolled airport located 18 NM, northwest of grand rapids (grr) international. Myself and a mechanic were picking up our company small transport after being in the paint shop. I called flight service and requested a void time for an IFR flight to pontiac (ptk), mi. Even though the WX was clear, it is our company policy to always get a void time out of uncontrolled airports. The flight service person told me that grand rapids approach was too busy and to takeoff VFR. I thought this was strange. Anyway, we departed VFR just west of the grand rapids airport arsa. After departing, I turned the aircraft to the south to avoid some large radio towers, all the while trying to stay under the arsa. I then had to call grand rapids approach which took several calls but we were finally cleared to our destination. The point of all this is that it could have been avoided (flying around towers and flying close to the arsa) if I had been given a void clearance. I later called grand rapids tower and found out there had been miscom between flight service and approach control. The controller just suggested that we takeoff VFR, the flight service person thought that meant you can only takeoff VFR. I think next time something does not seem right, I will really question the person on the telephone!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT WORKLOAD INCREASED IN ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN IFR CLRNC AFTER COMPULSORY VFR DEP PROC FROM NON TWR ARPT FSS.

Narrative: I WAS DEPARTING JENISON (08C), A SMALL UNCTLED ARPT LOCATED 18 NM, NW OF GRAND RAPIDS (GRR) INTL. MYSELF AND A MECH WERE PICKING UP OUR COMPANY SMT AFTER BEING IN THE PAINT SHOP. I CALLED FLT SVC AND REQUESTED A VOID TIME FOR AN IFR FLT TO PONTIAC (PTK), MI. EVEN THOUGH THE WX WAS CLR, IT IS OUR COMPANY POLICY TO ALWAYS GET A VOID TIME OUT OF UNCTLED ARPTS. THE FLT SVC PERSON TOLD ME THAT GRAND RAPIDS APCH WAS TOO BUSY AND TO TKOF VFR. I THOUGHT THIS WAS STRANGE. ANYWAY, WE DEPARTED VFR JUST W OF THE GRAND RAPIDS ARPT ARSA. AFTER DEPARTING, I TURNED THE ACFT TO THE S TO AVOID SOME LARGE RADIO TWRS, ALL THE WHILE TRYING TO STAY UNDER THE ARSA. I THEN HAD TO CALL GRAND RAPIDS APCH WHICH TOOK SEVERAL CALLS BUT WE WERE FINALLY CLRED TO OUR DEST. THE POINT OF ALL THIS IS THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED (FLYING AROUND TWRS AND FLYING CLOSE TO THE ARSA) IF I HAD BEEN GIVEN A VOID CLRNC. I LATER CALLED GRAND RAPIDS TWR AND FOUND OUT THERE HAD BEEN MISCOM BTWN FLT SVC AND APCH CTL. THE CTLR JUST SUGGESTED THAT WE TKOF VFR, THE FLT SVC PERSON THOUGHT THAT MEANT YOU CAN ONLY TKOF VFR. I THINK NEXT TIME SOMETHING DOES NOT SEEM RIGHT, I WILL REALLY QUESTION THE PERSON ON THE TELEPHONE!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.