wrote:

Can someone explain to a new pilot (who's never used it!) what flight
following is all about and how to actually get it? Thanks!


It basically means that you call an ATC facility and ask for flight
following. Many places offer it "automatically" these days. I flew
from ELM to JHW for lunch this past weekend and Elmira departure "handed
me off" to Cleveland Center without me even asking. I called them up
and checked in as I would on an IFR flight. The word flight following
was never even mentioned.

I tend to fly IFR almost all of the time, but decided not to Saturday
since I wasn't flying near any SUA.

I'll let one of the ATC types here give you the details from the ATC end
as I don't know what all it means from that perspective.


Matt