When ATC sends you a message on the ACARS that clears you for your route, runways, squawk code, and initial climb altitude, do you have to ask delivery, ground, or tower for your IFR clearance?
In the US, you do not. That PM, which is simulating ACARS, contains your pre-departure clearance (PDC), which is your IFR clearance. Make sure you read it carefully, especially looking for any route changes or additional instructions.
In Canada (real world, at least) you are expected to call Clearance Delivery with the PDC code that is included at the bottom of the message. That saved me from departing with an outdated PDC just the other day, actually. I’m not sure how Canadian procedures are modeled on the network.
Just a note for clarity, that ACARS message will only be generated for departures from airports in the US. (At least for now … perhaps in the future PDCs will be delivered to pilots the same way for non-US airports.)
Will the PM be sent every time? Mostly on events, there is a clearance delivery frequency that I have gotten my IFR clearance from in the USA. Thanks.
What do you mean by “every time”?
Australia uses PDCs which on VATSIM are sent via text. It includes an instruction of what you need to read back (in Australia just the SID, squawk code and your stand number).
But clearance by voice is also used.