Hi all, I'm just up to the Flight Planning Options section of the IREX book and I noticed quite a few IFR flight plans seem to commence with DCT (direct), even when sometimes the next waypoint is the departure waypoint or airport. For example routes out of Sydney start with "DCT TESAT" as the first leg, even though TESAT appears to be the waypoint at Sydney airport.
And similarly in ERSA GEN FPR, looking at the YSDU-YSSY route, it says DCT DU V138 AKMIR W113 TESAT DCT as one of the required routes. In order words, I'd read that as "when departing from Dubbo, the first leg is direct to Dubbo". Obviously I'm misunderstanding something, but I don't know what.
I haven't used a GPS (or of course an FMC) but I don't understand how entering "DCT" and then your departure point as the first leg wouldn't confuse a GPS.
Also I'm seeing "DCT" at the end of routes, as in the Dubbo-Sydney example above, even after the destination waypoint in the flight plan sequence.
What is the meaning of having DCT at the start or end of a flight plan?
(And the related question is, what does DCT indicate when it's somewhere else within the flight plan - I've been assuming it refers to a direct route from one waypoint to another that does not have a pre-defined airway ascribed to it, is that right?)
Thanks

When you look at the ERC charts you will notice the routes always start and finish between Radio Aids and/or Gps waypoints. For example YSDU is aerodrome, and DU is NDB which is not the same in IFR world. DU is 0.9nm (see Ersa) away from the aerodrome reference point and when you depart, you will have to intercept the track between aids.

Depending where you flying from/to, your flight plans will have the format:
Aerodrome-Aid-Aid-Aerodrome.

For example when I'm submitting a flight plan from Moorabbin to Avalon, it will be YMMB-MB-AV-YMAV because I ma using navigation instruments in the aeroplane to navigate.

To explain DCT (direct), the best is to look at the Naips flight plan.
The header have both Departure and Destination aerodromes.
Then, the table below has waypoints.
The first DCT is between Departure and first waypoint.
The last DCT is between last waypoint and Destination.

Hope above make sense.

Thanks Bosi72, I looked at the paper flight notification form, and what you said does help me understand, but I'd imagine when departing an airport you don't literally have to fly over the top of the co-located navaid / waypoint, do you? Which could be 0.9nm away in any direction, or closer, or further. Surely you just set track from the departure airport for the first "real" waypoint, intercepting the route or airway within 5nm? If so, then wouldn't putting a 'departure waypoint' into your GPS cause confusion because then your GPS wants to fly right over the top of it?
Thanks

In your gps before takeoff you will activate "first leg": route between departure aid and destination aid, not between departure aerodrome and nearby 0.9nm aid. Whether you overfly the Aid or intercept "first leg" within 5nm depends on Aid position, runway orientation, circuit, atc,...

This will make more sense once you start flying and after instructor briefs.

OK thanks again Bosi72, maybe I'm overthinking it, and yep I'm sure it will come together once I start the practicals.