ATC ignores IFR flight plans?

[J G Parker]

I like to fly published routes, with SIDS and STARS if available.  Thus, I carefully create my routes in the flght planner, including all the waypoints for any SID and STAR I intend to use (available for many airports at the wonderful Clearance Unlmited website, and elsewhere).  In VFR plans, things work out fine.  But if I file the plan as an IFR, ATC appears to simply ignore all the waypoints and just use a direct to route with vectors to the runway intercept at the very end.  

Is the true, or have I missed something? I wasn't expecting ATC to create its own STAR, but I assumed that it would incorporate all my filed waypoints before vertoring me to the approach.   I tried experimenting, and if I follow the filed route, ATC eventually notices and directs me away from it back on to a straight route, at least on flights under 100 nm (havent tried longer).

 Also, what does it mean when ATC says "assume own navigation"?  Is this when I can follow my filed plan?

[emh8]

J G,

When you're flying under an IFR flight plan, ATC will begin giving vectors for your approach as far as 80nm from the destination airport.  So if you're doing a short flight (as you described - under 100nm), there may not be much opportunity to follow the plan you built unless you change to VFR and use your own navigation to the airport.

On the other hand, if you were doing a longer flight (say - 400nm or greater) there shouldn't be any reason why you couldn't fly IFR on a customized flight plan.  The thing to consider, again, is that once the approach vectors begin - you're a slave to ATC!

Regarding the other question, whether you're VFR or IFR, "assume own navigation" is another way of saying "follow the flight plan."

Erik

[J G Parker]

Thanks.  The more I thought about it, the more I wondered about the dstance factor.  Since most STARS are within 80nm of the airport, this implies that most of the time they will be ignored.  Does anyone know if FS 2k4 ATC will make greater use of STARS?