Originally Posted by
250 or point 65
While I completely agree with you, I am having trouble finding documentation that this is correct (guess I've been out of the CFI thing too long). As far as my 5 minutes of research went, both the FAR and AIM say that a pilot must receive an ATC clearance before entering Class B. As far as I interpret that, "maintain 5000" or "fly heading 230" would be instructions, not a clearance.
However, would "Cleared direct ABC VOR" work, where ABC VOR is on the field? Would ATC even be able to clear a VFR airplane to a fix or would that necessitate an IFR clearance as far as ATC is concerned?
I think you are right that ATC won't use "cleared" in the VFR context except for Class B clearances. Even "cleared for the approach" during practice approaches under VFR is probably a misnomer with "practice approach approved" probably the more technically correct language.
"Fly heading 230; maintain 5000" is a little grayer as is the practical distinction between clearance and instruction since 91.123(b) tells us we're not supposed to disobey an ATC instruction, although (that can be the subject of a whole thread all by itself).
Maybe there are VFR contexts in which "Cleared into the Class B" is not technically required. Maybe not. But it doesn't take much extra brainpower or airtime to query ATC, "confirm N1234X is cleared into Class B" and be certain.