Flight Following

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!

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

In a previous article, " said:
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 means that sort-of like an IFR flight, ATC will provide traffic
advisories on a work-load permitting basis (which means that they may
point out some traffic but then not point out the one that's actually
heading straight for you because they got busy with some IFR traffic), and
they may hand you off to another facility as you leave their airspace, or
they may just say "frequency change approved, squawk VFR", again depending
on workload (and apparently, how much they hate the guys in the next
facility).

For a VFR-only pilot, it means you have another pair of eyes looking out
for you (or half a pair of eyes, sometimes), and it gives you an
experience with the system that will help when you get your instrument
rating. It does not mean you can fly head down in the cockpit or relax
your scan for conflicting traffic.

--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
"using Outlook to read e-mail is like licking public toilets; using Outlook
with a virus checker is like taking antibiotics and then licking public
toilets (it might work, but it's hardly optimal" -- David Megginson

Paul Tomblin wrote:
In a previous article, " said:

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 means that sort-of like an IFR flight, ATC will provide traffic
advisories on a work-load permitting basis (which means that they may
point out some traffic but then not point out the one that's actually
heading straight for you because they got busy with some IFR traffic), and
they may hand you off to another facility as you leave their airspace, or
they may just say "frequency change approved, squawk VFR", again depending
on workload (and apparently, how much they hate the guys in the next
facility).

For a VFR-only pilot, it means you have another pair of eyes looking out
for you (or half a pair of eyes, sometimes), and it gives you an
experience with the system that will help when you get your instrument
rating. It does not mean you can fly head down in the cockpit or relax
your scan for conflicting traffic.

In addition to the above, using Flight Following means that you are in
direct contact with ATC should you develop some sort of in-flight
emergency. You can therefore communicate that difficulty immediately
without having to search for the available and appropriate controlling
agency.
A follow-up question, however: How do request flight following when you
are not actually doing a cross-country? Let's say that my flight
intentions are to fly 50 NM away from my home base in order do
sight-seeing and photo shooting, turn around (not land), and go back
home. Do I simply tell ATC of those intentions of doing nothing more
than a round robin flight? Whenever I have ask for FF, the controller
always asks for a destination. What are you supposed to say?

Arnold Sten

"Arnold Sten" wrote in message
...

In addition to the above, using Flight Following means that you are in
direct contact with ATC should you develop some sort of in-flight
emergency. You can therefore communicate that difficulty immediately
without having to search for the available and appropriate controlling
agency.
A follow-up question, however: How do request flight following when you
are not actually doing a cross-country? Let's say that my flight
intentions are to fly 50 NM away from my home base in order do
sight-seeing and photo shooting, turn around (not land), and go back home.
Do I simply tell ATC of those intentions of doing nothing more than a
round robin flight? Whenever I have ask for FF, the controller always asks
for a destination. What are you supposed to say?


Just tell them you'll be taking photos or doing airwork or whatever.

sometimes I'll just choose an airport which is the direction of the flight
you are going to do (to keep it easy), and once you get where you want to
go, you tell ATC that you want to circle and go back.

g



"Arnold Sten" wrote in message
...
Paul Tomblin wrote:
In a previous article, " said:

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 means that sort-of like an IFR flight, ATC will provide traffic
advisories on a work-load permitting basis (which means that they may
point out some traffic but then not point out the one that's actually
heading straight for you because they got busy with some IFR traffic),
and
they may hand you off to another facility as you leave their airspace,
or
they may just say "frequency change approved, squawk VFR", again
depending
on workload (and apparently, how much they hate the guys in the next
facility).

For a VFR-only pilot, it means you have another pair of eyes looking out
for you (or half a pair of eyes, sometimes), and it gives you an
experience with the system that will help when you get your instrument
rating. It does not mean you can fly head down in the cockpit or relax
your scan for conflicting traffic.

In addition to the above, using Flight Following means that you are in
direct contact with ATC should you develop some sort of in-flight
emergency. You can therefore communicate that difficulty immediately
without having to search for the available and appropriate controlling
agency.
A follow-up question, however: How do request flight following when you
are not actually doing a cross-country? Let's say that my flight
intentions are to fly 50 NM away from my home base in order do
sight-seeing and photo shooting, turn around (not land), and go back
home. Do I simply tell ATC of those intentions of doing nothing more
than a round robin flight? Whenever I have ask for FF, the controller
always asks for a destination. What are you supposed to say?

Arnold Sten

"Guillermo" wrote in message
...

sometimes I'll just choose an airport which is the direction of the flight
you are going to do (to keep it easy), and once you get where you want to
go, you tell ATC that you want to circle and go back.


Why is that easier than telling ATC what you actually intend to do?

Steven P. McNicoll wrote:
"Guillermo" wrote in message
...

sometimes I'll just choose an airport which is the direction of the flight
you are going to do (to keep it easy), and once you get where you want to
go, you tell ATC that you want to circle and go back.

Why is that easier than telling ATC what you actually intend to do?

That seems best. I used to to do the Guillermo thing but would get
tripped up. Just say what you are doing.

Arnold Sten wrote:

Paul Tomblin wrote:

In a previous article, " said:

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 means that sort-of like an IFR flight, ATC will provide traffic
advisories on a work-load permitting basis (which means that they may
point out some traffic but then not point out the one that's actually
heading straight for you because they got busy with some IFR traffic),
and
they may hand you off to another facility as you leave their airspace, or
they may just say "frequency change approved, squawk VFR", again
depending
on workload (and apparently, how much they hate the guys in the next
facility).

For a VFR-only pilot, it means you have another pair of eyes looking out
for you (or half a pair of eyes, sometimes), and it gives you an
experience with the system that will help when you get your instrument
rating. It does not mean you can fly head down in the cockpit or relax
your scan for conflicting traffic.

In addition to the above, using Flight Following means that you are in
direct contact with ATC should you develop some sort of in-flight
emergency. You can therefore communicate that difficulty immediately
without having to search for the available and appropriate controlling
agency.

The appropriate response in an emergency is to dial up 121.5 and not
worry about who answers. :-)


A follow-up question, however: How do request flight following when you
are not actually doing a cross-country? Let's say that my flight
intentions are to fly 50 NM away from my home base in order do
sight-seeing and photo shooting, turn around (not land), and go back
home. Do I simply tell ATC of those intentions of doing nothing more
than a round robin flight? Whenever I have ask for FF, the controller
always asks for a destination. What are you supposed to say?

I just tell them that I plan to fly to a certain area, shoot some photos
and then return. Or do some sightseeing or whatever. They usually
don't seem to care what I'm planning to do.

Matt

In a previous article, Matt Whiting said:
Arnold Sten wrote:
In addition to the above, using Flight Following means that you are in
direct contact with ATC should you develop some sort of in-flight
emergency. You can therefore communicate that difficulty immediately
without having to search for the available and appropriate controlling
agency.

The appropriate response in an emergency is to dial up 121.5 and not
worry about who answers. :-)

The appropriate response to an emergency is to talk to the person who
you're already talking to, because they already have a decent idea where
you are and where you're going and what type of plane you're in.

And if you were to croak and your non-pilot passenger had to take over, it
would be a lot easier for them if they didn't have to turn any dials.

--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
It's not hard, it's just asking for a visit by the ****up fairy.
-- Peter da Silva