I'm taking the leap to online flying using IFR rules and was wondering about a couple of things which i haven't been able to find answers to:Do i contact ATC and ask for a weather report from the arriving airport control centre etc?, is there anything else i need to ask of them or do they normally contact the pilot with details and if so what do they relay? When i reach cruise do i need to contact anyone or do i just conform to my last set of instructions from the departing ATC and then leave it at that? Is it ATC who normally contacts the pilot with instructions or does the pilot have a responsibility to contact controllers etc?Hope you can helpBrad.

Your question requires the reading of the entire IFR procedures.:)But for now. You get your weather report from FSS (Flight service station). FSS is where you would also file your IFR flight plan. These are all prep work. You can use your cellphone or landline and call them up. The Airport diectory should have the telephone listing etc.When you are about to actually start the engines a few minutes before you filed time of departure, you call Clearence delivery to get your Clearence. This could be as simple as "As filed" or a new flight plan dictated by the clearence delivery. This is a clearence.C - Clearence Limit. This could be the destination airport.R - Route of flight. ("AS filed" is 1 option)A - Altitude. e,g after departure climb to 5000, 8000 in 10 (minutes)F - Frequncy of the Departure control. (This is frequency you would change after the tower controler tells you to change to departure)T - Transpoder Squak code: e.g. 3577and you have to read that back. Its recorded.Then you get your ATIS informaton and contact Ground clerence to taxi to the active. Then you transition to the Tower after the Ground transistions you. They would rlease you for departure. Once you climb out after takeoff, the tower would ask you to change the frequiency to Departure (ATC). You change the frequency to departure and make contact with them "Fort worth departure, cessna 988AC with you climbing to 5000. They would say something like ..."Radio contact...Altimeter 2992" and then they may vector you as well.. otherwise you remain in the same heading you were in. They have you...At this stage.. you are under the direction of the ATC. Meaning... you are not on your own flying your flight plan. ATC would vector you here and there and then once you are out of the departure area...they would vector you to intercept your cleared flight plan and then tell you... "resume Own navigation". Then you fly your cleared flight plan thence. But your altitide is your last cleared altitude. You are always in contact with the ATC. They are directing you. If in doubt, you can always ask them. They would keep handing you off from Departure to enroute ATC frequency and then from enrooute to another... if you want to climb higher say..."Fort worth control, Cessna 988AC requesting 12,000. You may get it.Lost communication has its own procedures.MannyYou can download the entire IFR procedure for free. Thanks to taxpayers.http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviatio...dures_handbook/

Manny pretty much summed it up. You have to follow ATC instruction at all times and obey to every instruction. However! You as the PIC have the discretion to overrule any ATC instructions, if you're a) unable to comply or :( it would endanger the safety of the passengers, crew or airplane. Nevertheless, usually ATC will issue you new vectors or instructions, but you always have to state your intentions.You generally never have to initiate a conversation with ATC unless you have to deviate for weather, an emergency and to request additional information or vectors.Usually, you would check the ATIS of the destination about 40nm from the airport. The TAF forecasts are usually pretty good and in 90% of all cases you won't have to deal with any last-minute runway changes or weather changes.Pat

You should go thru the IFR section of the FS9 "Learning Center." It should offer some good information and also try to go thru the flight training section.Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like -M.Twain