The alternate thing is interesting. In VMC, I just file IFR anyway. When I get close I'll either amend if I want to go further or cancel and go to FF. Nothing wrong with planning for IFR fuel and flying VFR fuel once there. Kind of good conservative planning. I'll do that next week flying to Tampa. With 4.5 hours, I can and have made Tampa without a stop but never plan it. I will file and get a clearance and see how it works this time.

Recently I was going from Florida to Cleveland with a stop just before
the mountains for fuel. While on the ground, a line of severe
thunderstorms passed by, and then I could go behind them. As there were
mountains and scattered embedded thunderstorms in the way, the IFR
routing would likely be wiggly, subject to revision, and would probably
not get me to Cleveland with an alternate and appropriate reserves. So
I'd need to stop again, and I would not be able to see the thunderheads
to avoid them.

But if I could slip out VFR, I could fly direct, avoid the nasty stuff
visually if it became an issue, and land with plenty of fuel at my
destination. I got flight following, advised them that I might nead a
clearance at some point, and did just that. Dodged a bit of weather
visually, climbed up to 12,000 feet while doing so, and approaching
Cleveland I got the ILS. Point two IMC in the logbook, one approach to
minimums, no convective surprises, plenty of outs, and no hassles.

Jose
--
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