PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACFT TOOK OFF AND CLBED IFR INTO CTL AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

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A FRIEND AND MYSELF HAD FLOWN DOWN TO MERCED ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. (I FLEW THE LEG TO MERCED AND HE WAS SAFETY PLT FOR ME.) WE WERE GOING TO DEPART MERCED ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AND I WOULD BE THE SAFETY PLT ON THIS LEG. AS WE TAXIED OUT; WE CONTACTED CASTLE APCH (AS OPPOSED TO FSS) TO OBTAIN OUR CLRNC; SINCE WE HAD CLOSED WITH THEM ON THE PREVIOUS LEG. THE CTLR READ OUR CLRNC AND GAVE NO 'HOLD FOR RELEASE' INSTRUCTIONS NOR A 'CLRNC VOID TIME.' AFTER COMPLETING OUR RUNUP; WE RADIOED OUR INTENTIONS OVER CTAF AND DEPARTED. OUR CLRNC WAS A L TURN AFTER DEP (DON'T RECALL HDG) AND CLB TO 5000 FT. WE WOULD GET RADAR VECTORS TO SUNOL INTXN AFTER CONTACTING APCH. IN ADDITION; THE CTLR TOLD US THAT WE WERE RESPONSIBLE TO COMPLY WITH OBSTACLE CLRNC SEPARATION (REF FAR 91.177). UPON INITIAL CONTACT WITH CASTLE APCH; THE CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD DEPARTED VFR. MY FRIEND; WHO WAS PF; RESPONDED THAT WE HAD; AND WE READ THE SAME CLRNC AGAIN. THAT WAS THE POINT WHERE THE CONFUSION AROSE; BECAUSE WE CALLED BACK TO CORRECT AND INDICATED THAT WE HAD DEPARTED IFR. UPON HEARING THIS; THE CTLR INDICATED THAT WE SHOULD NORMALLY HAVE WAITED FOR A RELEASE IF THERE HAD BEEN INCOMING TFC ON APCH. MY FRIEND ASKED IF THERE WAS ANYTHING WE SHOULD HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT (REGARDING POSSIBLE VIOLATION; ETC); TO WHICH THE CTLR RESPONDED; 'NO.' THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. I BELIEVE THAT PART OF THE PROB AROSE WHEN BOTH OF US IN THE AIRPLANE WERE ANTICIPATING A CLRNC VOID TIME OR SOME TYPE FO SIMILAR INSTRUCTION. (SHOULD HAVE ASKED ATC ABOUT ANY QUESTIONS.) IN ADDITION; I DON'T RECALL EXACT ALT UPON WHICH INITIAL CONTACT WITH DEP CTL WAS MADE (ESTIMATED APPROX 1000 FT MSL). HOWEVER; IF WE WERE IN CLASS G AIRSPACE STILL; THEN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONDUCT IFR OPS SINCE IT IS UNCTLED AIRSPACE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL PLTS WITH REGARD TO THIS SIT AND WILL PROBABLY ASK AN ATC REPRESENTATIVE FOR THEIR OPINION. DESPITE THE FACT THAT I WAS NOT PIC (ONLY A SAFETY PLT); MY FRIEND AND I CONDUCT THESE OPS EMPLOYING COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT TECHNIQUES AND THINK IN TERMS OF A 'CREW ENVIRONMENT.' THEREFORE; THE MISUNDERSTANDING WAS SHARED.