Steven P. McNicoll wrote:

"Matt Whiting" 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.


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



Not if you're already receiving flight following. If you're on flight
following you're already talking to a controller that knows where you are.
There's no point in changing to 121.5.

Agreed. See my reply to Paul. My point is that the alternative to FF
isn't trying to look up the "appropriate" frequency during an emergency,
it is to dial in 121.5. Obviously, if you are already talking to ATC
you don't change frequencies. This seemed so obvious as to not need
stating, but I guess at least a couple of people didn't catch that.

Matt