(Greg) wrote in message . com...
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.

Especially with opinions! *g*

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?).

Not necessarily. My old St. Louis sectional says R3404 only goes
up to 2,500 ft.

I didn't pull up the TFR on DUATS. I'd call FSS for a briefing.
It may have been a temporary thing. What does AOPA give as the
radius for the TFR?

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.

Well, it's up to you -- I dunno your reason for choosing Mattoon
as a destination, but if you're going to get practical value from
your PPL sooner or later you need to build confidence that you can
avoid TFRs and Restricted areas.

When I slap a ruler on my old sectional, it looks to me as though
R3404 is about 4 nm to the N of your direct route, but if you're
concerned, you could always fly Victor airways, which will take
you over Terre Haute then west. It'll add about 10% to your trip.

Myself, I think I'd fly direct. Using the formula for line-of-sight
(assuming no mountains etc in the way)
nm = 1.23 x sqrt ( height agl in feet ), if you're flying about
4500 ft you should be able to track LOU outbound for more than
80 nm and MTO inbound for about the same. If your equipment is
up to par you should only have a coverage gap of a few nm, if
any.

Looks to me like there's a nice pair of man-made lakes just
W of Hwy 231 which should be good landmarks. The V-shaped one
just N of Loogootee in particular. You could track outbound
on whatever LOU radial will head you for that lake (looks
like about 295 to me, but that's just a SWAG) or just to the
S of it depending upon the radius of the TFR. Then pick up
whatever will take you direct MTO.

Or fly direct by pilotage if you prefer . I don't think that
route is as bereft of good landmarks as you think. Remember the
most useful landmarks are often those a couple miles to the side
of your direct route.

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!

Honey, I only have one engine. If I lose it, it's an emergency.
In an emergency, the rules go out the window and I do what it takes.

2)If I fly direct will ATC (flight following) help me stay clear

Not automatically, but if you ask them for help they will.
"BigCenter, does it appear that Cessna 1234 will pass to the
south of the R3404 TFR?" "Cessna 1234, negative, suggest
turn 10 degrees left"

3) If I go via BMG how do I ask for flight following?

Well, if you're not going to go direct, I would take Victor
airways which will be south of BMG. So you say "Cessna 1234
is (present position, present altitude), request flight following
to Mattoon via (your route, ie "V171 to Terre Haute thence direct"
or "via direct Bloomington, direct Mattoon"). If you're
picking up MTO and you want to proceed direct from south of HUF,
just let them know--something like "Huffman approach, Cessna 12345
is going to proceed direct Mattoon from present position". Flight
following isn't navigating for you, letting them know your route
is just for efficiency so they know who to hand you off to and so
forth.

that I just tell them that I am going to MTO via BMG at 7,500. If
this is correct

Um...you're headed west, aren't you? "The East is Odd" FAR 91.159
and all that?

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.

Fligh****ch tries to be continuous coverage above 8,000 ft. Even
if you're lower, I'd try them first. If you don't get them, then
you can try 122.2 or whatever frequency is listed above the box
for a nearby VOR -- but call them "radio" (whatever facility name
is below the box ie "louisville radio"). If there's an R after
the freq then you must listen on the VOR. State whatever VOR
you're nearest to, whoever you call -- ie "Fligh****ch, Cessna
1234 20 SW of Hoosier VOR" or "Terre Haute Radio, Cessna
1234 20 SW, listening on Hoosier VOR"

Also what is the correct
phraseology to ask for a weather update?

"Cessna 1234, Fligh****ch, go ahead" "Fligh****ch, Cessna 1234
is VFR to Mattoon ETA XXXX, request updated weather"

Don't sweat the exact wording. The point is to let them know where
you are when you call so they know which switch to flip, where
you're going and about when you expect to be there, and what you
want (weather).

If you can't get fligh****ch, whose business is wx, just tell
the radio operator you were "unable to contact fligh****ch, request
weather enroute to Mattoon" or something like that.

Have fun and hope this helps,
Sydney