Typical IFR XC is how much longer than direct VFR?

Rob, maybe some are not sure what you mean - for example: Do you mean you have to fly further going to say DFW to Okla City IFR than the same trip VFR because of possible holding pattern, IFR airways, etc? If so, I would say not much difference, as most IFR is probably vectors nowadays, right? Anyway, what I used to do was to declare IFR to get up and out into improving conditions and then just cancel and finish with VFR. Planes I could afford did not go up into all-IFR terrirory anyway.

Or, do you just mean that the typical Sunday VFR flight tends to be shorter by nature than the average IFR flight which is done for business and not just local sight seeing?

 

It probably varies, but assuming that it's not IMC (in which case VFR direct is longer ), then my guesstimate is that it probably takes 5-10 minutes extra for your IFR release, if pre-filed for a particular departure time then figure it's front-loaded (i.e. you have to be ready to depart that much earlier). Then the actual flight time is situational, for example on one route I flew a lot between Socal and Norcal, the planned flight time was 15-20 minutes longer northbound than VFR direct because standard departure through LA Class B took you to the east during the climbout, while the enroute leg was west/northwest. Most times, ATC was fully aware of the route extension and if they had no traffic and you were following their vectors promptly, they could weave you into a gap to get you westbound as quickly as they could to save that extra time. The standard southbound flight plan didn't have that problem and most every leg was close to VFR direct. On arrivals, your IAP's are probably 5-10 minutes lengthier than just arriving into the downwind traffic pattern, but on a clear VFR day, you would probably just cancel IFR with airport in sight and save that time unless you wanted the practice.

 

Rob- The answer is too situationally dependent. If you are on an IFR flight plan, you can fly through controlled airspace, which is sometimes not possible when VFR. You can also file an IFR radio fix to radio fix flight plan and, once airborne, request INS or GPS direct, more often approved than denied, except in terminal control areas.

So the answer is shorter, the same, and longer, depending on the circumstances.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

my experience as well