What is cruise clearance?

• A. An ATC clearance issued to allow a pilot to conduct flight at any altitude from the minimum IFR altitude up to and including the altitude specified in the clearance. Also authorizes a pilot to proceed to and make an approach at the destination airport.
• B. A clearance to hold at a specific altitude.
• C. A clearance to descend to minimums.
• D. A clearance to depart from the airport immediately.

Answer: (A)

Cruise clearance is the ATC en route clearance that lets you fly at any altitude from the published minimum IFR altitude up to and including the altitude stated in the clearance. This gives you flexibility to choose a cruising level within that vertical range for efficiency, weather, or fuel reasons, while still ensuring obstacle clearance on the route. It also authorizes you to proceed to the destination airport and to begin or join the instrument approach when you arrive.

Other clearnces would be for different situations: a clearance to hold at a specific altitude means you must remain at that altitude while awaiting further instructions; a clearance to descend to minimums is for stepping down to the lowest published approach minimums during an approach; a clearance to depart immediately is a departure clearance, not an en route cruise authorization.