"A Lieberman" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 2 Jun 2005 22:24:29 -0600, Michael 182 wrote:

I'm kind of curious - does anyone with more than 100 hours do a flight
plan,
with winds and all, before they fly cross country?

I always do a flight plan. No, not with the ole EB6, but with DUATS or
AOPA flight planner. I always print out my briefings to take with me. I
still always call FSS before departure.

Yeah - I always call as well. The briefings have changed my route, advised
me on TFRs or given me cause not to go at all (usually ice) many times. I
hate to think we may lose this service to computers someday. I really
appreciate good briefers.


I do this so the person at my destination will know my arrival time. For
those flights that I don't have flight following or that I filed IFR, at
least they know to start worrying if I am overdue by more then 20 minutes.

Since getting my IA rating, it's either IFR or no ATC contact. I have not
filed a VFR flight plan pretty much since my initial training.


If I'm IFR I'm talking and, 99% of the time, on radar, so if something comes
up ATC will know about it. If I'm VFR I'm usually listening to the iPod. No
flight plans - hope the ELT is good and loud if something happens
(called the Aron Ralston approach)

So far, my IFR flights, I have filed direct even though I file /A on the
flight plan.

I thought you had to have a navigation aid in your suffix to file direct -
like /G or /R. Aren't you setting yourself up for a problem filing /A and
direct?


The majority of my cross country trips are greater then 100 NM which I do
at minimum 2 times a month. Anything shorter, I find that my commute to
the airport, flight and then airport to my destination negates the time it
takes to drive from point A to B anyway.

Unless you are flying Longmont to Colorado Springs and looking down on the
I-25 parking lot...

Michael


Allen