Narrative:

At sun, controller works all frequencys, thus very busy. When we were sitting on the ramp prior to departure, we requested clearance to sea with a VFR climb direct to ykm since WX was over 100 mi visibility, no clouds. At this time the controller was too busy and said call back on the taxi out to runway 13. On the taxi out, requested clearance again. He said expect VFR climb through FL180 to maintain FL200 direct ykm. Then he was talking to someone else on another frequency. Now we were holding short of the runway and he was clearing a jet for takeoff then he said to us 'cleared to sea as filed, cleared for takeoff runway 13.' the jet was just lifting off. I knew we did not have IFR separation. So I assumed he meant the clearance we requested and were told to expect. He also told us to report out of 9000 ft MSL. At 9000 ft I said 'hailey tower, airline X out of 9000 ft VFR climb direct to ykm.' he said roger contact ZLC. I switched out of 10000 ft. I called ZLC and said 'airline X out of 10000 ft, climbing VFR through FL180 to maintain FL200.' then he came back and said roger to airline X checking on. Then about 2 mins later, ZLC controller came back and asked our position. I gave it to him and said 'climbing direct ykm.' he then told me that is not what we were cleared to do. I disagreed and realized that the sun controller had never coordinated our VFR climb due to his workload and my multiple attempts to confirm it -- with the 9000 ft call and the check-on with slc. We were still VFR and below FL180 when all this took place. I felt the sun controller had cleared us as requested and he also believed that he did, but in his high workload he failed to get approval from center. Also, another factor was I should not have taken the takeoff clearance at the same time as the IFR clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 'CLRED AS FILED' AN ACR CREW FLIES 'CLRED AS REQUESTED' FROM SUN, ID.

Narrative: AT SUN, CTLR WORKS ALL FREQS, THUS VERY BUSY. WHEN WE WERE SITTING ON THE RAMP PRIOR TO DEP, WE REQUESTED CLRNC TO SEA WITH A VFR CLB DIRECT TO YKM SINCE WX WAS OVER 100 MI VISIBILITY, NO CLOUDS. AT THIS TIME THE CTLR WAS TOO BUSY AND SAID CALL BACK ON THE TAXI OUT TO RWY 13. ON THE TAXI OUT, REQUESTED CLRNC AGAIN. HE SAID EXPECT VFR CLB THROUGH FL180 TO MAINTAIN FL200 DIRECT YKM. THEN HE WAS TALKING TO SOMEONE ELSE ON ANOTHER FREQ. NOW WE WERE HOLDING SHORT OF THE RWY AND HE WAS CLRING A JET FOR TKOF THEN HE SAID TO US 'CLRED TO SEA AS FILED, CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 13.' THE JET WAS JUST LIFTING OFF. I KNEW WE DID NOT HAVE IFR SEPARATION. SO I ASSUMED HE MEANT THE CLRNC WE REQUESTED AND WERE TOLD TO EXPECT. HE ALSO TOLD US TO RPT OUT OF 9000 FT MSL. AT 9000 FT I SAID 'HAILEY TWR, AIRLINE X OUT OF 9000 FT VFR CLB DIRECT TO YKM.' HE SAID ROGER CONTACT ZLC. I SWITCHED OUT OF 10000 FT. I CALLED ZLC AND SAID 'AIRLINE X OUT OF 10000 FT, CLBING VFR THROUGH FL180 TO MAINTAIN FL200.' THEN HE CAME BACK AND SAID ROGER TO AIRLINE X CHKING ON. THEN ABOUT 2 MINS LATER, ZLC CTLR CAME BACK AND ASKED OUR POS. I GAVE IT TO HIM AND SAID 'CLBING DIRECT YKM.' HE THEN TOLD ME THAT IS NOT WHAT WE WERE CLRED TO DO. I DISAGREED AND REALIZED THAT THE SUN CTLR HAD NEVER COORDINATED OUR VFR CLB DUE TO HIS WORKLOAD AND MY MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO CONFIRM IT -- WITH THE 9000 FT CALL AND THE CHK-ON WITH SLC. WE WERE STILL VFR AND BELOW FL180 WHEN ALL THIS TOOK PLACE. I FELT THE SUN CTLR HAD CLRED US AS REQUESTED AND HE ALSO BELIEVED THAT HE DID, BUT IN HIS HIGH WORKLOAD HE FAILED TO GET APPROVAL FROM CTR. ALSO, ANOTHER FACTOR WAS I SHOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN THE TKOF CLRNC AT THE SAME TIME AS THE IFR CLRNC.

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.