What must a pilot have when departing Livermore airport (LVK) VFR enroute to San Francisco (SFO)?

When departing from Livermore Airport (LVK) to San Francisco Airport (SFO) under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), a pilot needs to obtain ATC clearance. This is essential because both airports are located within controlled airspace, specifically near the San Francisco Class B airspace.

In such airspace, VFR pilots must communicate with Air Traffic Control (ATC) to ensure safe and efficient operations. The clearance helps manage the air traffic in this busy area, allowing the pilot to navigate effectively while adhering to ATC instructions. Communication with ATC also ensures that any potential conflicts with other aircraft are mitigated.

In contrast, while pilots can file a VFR flight plan for situational awareness and search and rescue purposes, it is not required for departing on a VFR flight. Likewise, permission from the airport manager is generally unnecessary for standard operations at public-use airports like Livermore. Lastly, stating that no specific clearance is needed overlooks the critical requirement for ATC communication in controlled airspace. Thus, obtaining ATC clearance is the necessary action when planning a VFR departure from LVK to SFO.