How do you open and get a IFR clearance while in the air? I once had a traffic controller give me a hard time about how I requested IFR clearance once in the air. I had previously filed an IFR flight plan, and took off from my untowered home airport. On approach control's frequency, I said:


  Tampa Approach, Cirrus 123AB, 5 miles southeast of Tampa Exec at 1000 feet, IFR to Ft. Lauderdale Exec


The approach controller responded, annoyed, saying something like "Well do you have an IFR flight plan or are you reporting IFR??"

I had always used that phraseology because it seems the least wordy way to get the info across, which can be helpful when the freq is busy. What is the technically correct way to get an IFR clearance on an existing IFR flight plan?
There is one example in the AIM used for transitioning from VFR to IFR, and it how I've always done it:


  AIM 5-2-5. Abbreviated IFR Departure Clearance (Cleared &hellip; as Filed) Procedures
  
  EXAMPLE-
  "Los Angeles center, Apache Six One Papa, VFR estimating Paso Robles VOR at three two, one thousand five hundred,
  request IFR to Bakersfield."


Reference: 5−2−5. Abbreviated IFR Departure Clearance (Cleared &hellip; as Filed) Procedures (13 MB PDF)

Notice that they specifically say "VFR" right before their current location and also use the word "request" to make it clear what they are looking for.  I would change your request to:


  Tampa Approach, Cirrus 123AB, VFR 5 miles southeast of Tampa Exec
  at 1000 feet, request IFR to Ft. Lauderdale Exec