Important Information for Departing Pilots

If you are planning to depart from an airport within Miami ARTCC, there are a few things you should know so that your time on the ground can be minimalized. You may find it helpful to view the Flow Diagrams found on this site.

If you will be departing from Miami International:

• If you will be filing a Departure Procedure, please review the current procedure charts for Miami in the Airport Information menu.
• If you are not able to fly a Departure Procedure, the first waypoint must be one of the following fixes: WINCO, HEDLY, BEECH, PADUS, VALLY, SKIPS, EONNS, MNATE. The controller providing Clearance Delivery will amend your route if you file any other waypoints as the first in your flight plan.
• The initial altitude will be 5,000 ft.
• VFR departures will be instructed to maintain an altitude at or below 2,500 ft., and will be issued a cardinal direction to expedite your exit of Miami Class B airspace.

If you will be departing from Tampa International:

• If you will be filing a Departure Procedure, please review the current procedure charts for Tampa in the Airport Information menu.
• If you are not able to fly a Departure Procedure, the first waypoint must be one of the following VOR stations: CTY, GNV, LAL, OCF, ORL, PHK, PIE, RSW, SRQ, SZW, TAY. You may also file the waypoint COVIA as your first waypoint. The controller providing Clearance Delivery will amend your route if you file any other VOR or waypoint as the first in your flight plan.
• The initial altitude will be 6,000 ft.
• VFR departures will be instructed to maintain an altitude at or below 2,500 ft., and will be issued a cardinal direction to expedite your exit of Tampa Class B airspace.

If you will be departing from Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International:

• If you will be filing a Departure Procedure, please review the current procedure charts for Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood in the Airport Information menu.
• If you are not able to fly a Departure Procedure, the first waypoint must be one of the following fixes: THNDR, ARKES, PREDA, BEECH, ZAPPA, MNATE. If you are departing for the Caribbean, you may also file direct ZBV. The controller providing Clearance Delivery will amend your route if you file any other waypoints as the first in your flight plan.
• The initial altitude will be 3,000 ft.
• VFR departures will be instructed to maintain an altitude at or below 2,500 ft., and will be issued a cardinal direction to expedite your exit of Ft. Lauderdale Class C airspace. Aircraft transiting Miami Class B airspace will be provided radar service until clear of Bravo airspace.
• MIA_APP serves this facility.

If you will be departing from Palm Beach International:

• If you will be filing a Departure Procedure, please review the current procedure charts for Palm Beach in the Airport Information menu.
• The initial altitude will be 4,000 ft.
• VFR departures will be instructed to maintain an altitude at or below 2,500 ft., and will be issued a cardinal direction to expedite your exit of Palm Beach Class C airspace.

If you will be departing from Southwest Florida International:

• If you will be filing a Departure Procedure, please review the current procedure charts for Southwest Florida International in the Airport Information menu.
• The initial altitude will be 4,000 ft.
• VFR departures will be instructed to maintain an altitude at or below 2,500 ft., and will be issued a cardinal direction to expedite your exit of Ft. Myers Class C airspace.

If you will be departing from Sarasota/Bradenton International:

• If you will be filing a Departure Procedure, please review the current procedure charts for Sarasota/Bradenton in the Airport Information menu.
• The initial altitude will be 3,000 ft.
• VFR departures will be instructed to maintain an altitude at or below 2,500 ft., and will be issued a cardinal direction to expedite your exit of Sarasota Class C airspace. Aircraft transiting Tampa Class B airspace will be provided radar service until clear of Bravo airspace.
• Although within the boundaries of Miami ARTCC, Sarasota/Bradenton is also in the jurisdiction of Tampa TRACON. The following is a list of which controller you should contact first. The first controller in the list is the one you should look for first:
  1. SRQ_DEL
  2. SRQ_GND
  3. SRQ_TWR
  4. TPA_APP
  5. TPA_DEP
  6. CFL_APP
  7. CFL_DEP
  8. MIA_CTR
  9. JAX_CTR

If you will be departing from any other airport in Miami ARTCC airspace:

• If weather conditions permit, you may depart VFR (squawking 1200) without clearance from a controller.
• If you will be flying IFR, you may also depart VFR and obtain your IFR clearance in the air from a Center Controller.
• IFR departures may request an IFR clearance on the ground, but will not receive any taxi or takeoff instructions. The Center Controller will issue a departure release with a clearance-void time. You will be expected to report to the Center Controller when airborne.

A word about Student Controllers:

There will be times when Clearance Delivery, Ground or Tower are staffed by a Student controller. Pilots are asked to exercise patience while interacting with students. We're sure everyone remembers being in the same position at one time or another, and your assistance in helping us teach our students is appreciated. We understand that your clearance may take twice as long as it should, or that you are issued a bizarre ground instruction. This is a part of the learning process. If you feel something egregious has occurred, please send an email to the Facility Chief or Chief Instructor describing the incident. A text transcript of your exchange with the controller will be helpful.

WARNING: It is not acceptable for a pilot to disregard a valid instruction of ANY controller. This is in violation of the VATSIM Code of Conduct (Pilot Conduct, Item 10). This includes instructions by student controllers. It is also considered poor form to log-off in order to circumvent a controller's instruction and then log back on when you think you are no longer within that controller's jurisdiction. It is possible to construe this action as a disregard for the instruction of the controller, as well as a violation of the General Conduct Rules, Items 1 and 10. If you feel you must do this, then be certain you are well clear of restricted airspace (Class B, C or D), and log back on as a VFR aircraft. You will need to obtain a new clearance just like any other pop-up target. In some circumstances, you may also need to explain this action to the Divisional Conflict Resolution Manager.