See answers below: this is hoew I have foundit to work and I've gone
PHX to New England, and south to Savannah from Connecticut. I mostly
use IFR now, even on clear days, for cross country flights.

On 12 Nov 2003 13:01:26 -0800, (Greg) wrote:

I was going to ask my CFI these questions but I figured these groups
are so rich with information and opinions that I would start here.

I am a 120 hr PP planning a VFR X/C from Bowman field Louisville, KY
(KLOU) to Mattoon, IL (KMTO) this weekend. According to the new AOPA
flight planner (very cool, by the way)this takes me right through the
middle of a TFR southwest of the Hoosier Vortac. To complicate things
there is a restricted area smack dab in the middle of the TFR (these
are ground to... well higher than I can fly right?). My gut is
telling me not to chance being where I'm not supposed to be and make
the trip via Bloomington,IN (KBMG)to avoid any possible trouble . If
you look at the sectional there aren't too many land marks in that
area and it would be easy fly over the TFR but through the resticted
area. I have a rather old GPS on board that is very small, in a
strange place (down and to the right of the yoke), and it is as old as
dirt..no telling when it was last updated. So here are some
questions..

1)So what do you guys think? Do I fly over it? Or am I asking for
trouble? (this TFR, if I understand correctly, is from the ground to
5000 AGL). Obviously, this would be a bad place to loose the engine!


If the TFR and restricted area only go to 5000 and you are at 7000
then you are no in the TFR, meaning you are 1000 miles away just as
much as you are 2000 feet above it. What about the Restricted area?
What is THAT altitude???

Direct is not all that it is cracked up to be - if it were me and I am
not IFR [ when it is THEIR job to keep you out of TFR's - good to know
where they are but YOUR certificate is not at risk] thne I would
simply find 2 or 3 VOR's and plot a zig zag course around the TFR by
going direct around the TFR - much saferl. AS for engine failure,
well, that is an emergency and you are OK inside a TFR from above if
you DECLARE an emergency.


2)If I fly direct will ATC (flight following) help me stay clear or
will they let me wander into the restricted area and then say, "now
look what you've done dumbass...land and give us a call" (In so many
words) My girlfriend isn't a huge fan of small planes anyway so an
F-16 on my wingtip would be bad, really bad.

VFR Flight Following will NOT guarantee anything, including separation
or obstacle clearance. VFR means VFR - flight following is an as
available service IF the controller is NOT busy.

3) If I go via BMG how do I ask for flight following? I am assuming
that I just tell them that I am going to MTO via BMG at 7,500. If
this is correct and I am granted flight following am I obligated to
fly all the way to BMG or can I turn on course to MTO a little south
of BMG?

Depends on the controller - they will ASK your desitination. On a
long X-country, if you pass through or near any Class B airspace you
will likely get dropped from flight following VFR does not get
automated handoffs for the most part - a controller phone call is
needed - again, depends on demand. Once you tell them your
destination they will assume you are going direct unless you give them
a routing. Remember you are VFR - you can do anything you want - if
you change destination or altitude tell them as you are doing it. If
you wander too much or do stuffand do not tell the controller, you may
get the dreaded: "N----- - radar service terminated squawk VFR." You
be nice to them and they'll be nice to you = that mean no altitude
changes without notice and if need to deviate to stay VFR tell them -
and if you need to deviate ask them the weather.

4) I have never used Fligh****ch. How do you know when to call on
122.0 and when to listen on VOR's, etc. Also what is the correct
phraseology to ask for a weather update?

122.0 or 122.2 will get you fligh****ch almost everywhere. If you do
not have an IFR chart and do not know the flight watch booundaries
[which are set forth on a low-alt IFR chart and also are in the AFD,
but the AFD is less than helpful since it is not exactly a map] the
blind call is, in my airplane:

"Flight Watch, Cherokee 8846J 10 miles south of MTO".- or whereever .

You may need to call 2-3 times to get a response but LISTEN since
they will tell you the name of the Flight watch when they return the
call. Then ask them for a wx update with tail number, location,
direction of flight, destination and route.

Be prepated to give them a PIREP = the only way we get pireps is if we
give them!

If you HAVE flight following, you need to ask permission to change
freqs to 'go to flight watch.' The controller will tell you
'approved' and then tell you to check in after you get back.


Joe Farrell
N8846J IJD





Thanks in advace guys and gals!

Greg