Narrative:

My copilot and I were scheduled to leave ptd at noon. I filed my flight plan the night before as usual on a flight planning website. The route was to be ptd - hnk - ... -...; A 'recent IFR route used by the flight planning website users.' it was a VFR morning in ptd. My first officer called the FSS to obtain a hold-for-release. The FSS informed him that a hold-for-release was not an option; and that we needed to call 5 to 10 minutes prior to departure. Once our owner had arrived and we had started the engine; I called the FSS (my headset has bluetooth; and it is easy to talk on the phone with the engine running). After several minutes on hold and despite the fact that I had made sure my flight plan would be filed; FSS informed me that there was no such flight plan on file. I re-filed the flight plan with the FSS representative and was placed on hold again. Upon completion of that hold; FSS asked if I would like 6;000 or 8;000 ft as a final altitude. Being a 340-mile flight; I reiterated the fact that I had filed for FL260. At that point; the voice of an air traffic controller who was clearly monitoring the conversation came over the phone and told me that 6;000 or 8;000 ft were my only choices for the flight. Simply wanting to get into the air at this point; I accepted 8;000 ft. After several more minutes of holding on the phone; the FSS issued a very confusing initial clearance and granted us 5 minutes to get off the ground. We were told to contact frequency 123.8 on departure. We departed and purposefully remained in VMC as we tried to contact a controller on 123.8. Unable to raise a controller on 123.8; my first officer called boston on the frequency listed on the airport diagram; 135.25. Boston was totally unaware of who we were or of our intentions. They asked us where we had received our clearance and whom had told us to contact 123.8. After some conversation; boston issued us FL260 and another route. This is not the first issue I have had with the FSS; but it is certainly the worst. If it can be avoided; I highly recommend speaking directly with ATC rather than with FSS. Not only is ATC more aware of the local traffic procedures; it totally eliminates having to speak through a third party -- which is not only complicated; it wastes time as well. If it had been 'hard IFR;' my co-pilot and I agreed that we would not have departed at all for fear of a miscommunication that could have resulted in an issue with terrain or with other aircraft in the area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IFR departure from PTD described confusing flight plan event. After filing with FSS the night before via electronic communications; FSS would not provide a hold-for-release clearance and once in the air ZBW had no flight plan information on the flight.

Narrative: My copilot and I were scheduled to leave PTD at noon. I filed my flight plan the night before as usual on a flight planning website. The route was to be PTD - HNK - ... -...; a 'recent IFR route used by the flight planning website users.' It was a VFR morning in PTD. My First Officer called the FSS to obtain a hold-for-release. The FSS informed him that a hold-for-release was not an option; and that we needed to call 5 to 10 minutes prior to departure. Once our owner had arrived and we had started the engine; I called the FSS (my headset has bluetooth; and it is easy to talk on the phone with the engine running). After several minutes on hold and despite the fact that I had made sure my flight plan would be filed; FSS informed me that there was no such flight plan on file. I re-filed the flight plan with the FSS representative and was placed on hold again. Upon completion of that hold; FSS asked if I would like 6;000 or 8;000 FT as a final altitude. Being a 340-mile flight; I reiterated the fact that I had filed for FL260. At that point; the voice of an air traffic controller who was clearly monitoring the conversation came over the phone and told me that 6;000 or 8;000 FT were my only choices for the flight. Simply wanting to get into the air at this point; I accepted 8;000 FT. After several more minutes of holding on the phone; the FSS issued a very confusing initial clearance and granted us 5 minutes to get off the ground. We were told to contact frequency 123.8 on departure. We departed and purposefully remained in VMC as we tried to contact a controller on 123.8. Unable to raise a controller on 123.8; my First Officer called Boston on the frequency listed on the airport diagram; 135.25. Boston was totally unaware of who we were or of our intentions. They asked us where we had received our clearance and whom had told us to contact 123.8. After some conversation; Boston issued us FL260 and another route. This is not the first issue I have had with the FSS; but it is certainly the worst. If it can be avoided; I highly recommend speaking directly with ATC rather than with FSS. Not only is ATC more aware of the local traffic procedures; it totally eliminates having to speak through a third party -- which is not only complicated; it wastes time as well. If it had been 'hard IFR;' my co-pilot and I agreed that we would not have departed at all for fear of a miscommunication that could have resulted in an issue with terrain or with other aircraft in the area.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.