Missing flight plans

In rec.aviation.owning B A R R Y wrote:
On Fri, 4 Aug 2006 11:50:54 -0500, "Gig 601XL Builder"
wrDOTgiaconaATcox.net wrote:


How exactly Michelle will filing a VFR flight plan reduce the accident rate
in aircraft?

Not only will it not prevent a single accident, I don't see the value
of a VFR flight plan for other reasons in many cases.

If you're a religious user of flight following, as I am, you're
already on the horn with ATC, and uniquely identified on the radar
screen. In an emergency, you'd already be talking to a controller
and probably heard by other area aircraft, so emergency folks would
most likely know where to start looking long before a VFR flight plan
expired and FSS started a telephone search. I've been told that
making an initial distress call on the same frequency I'm already
using for FF is not only acceptable, but a good idea.

Except there are lots of desolate areas where there is no ATC unless
you are in the FLs, where a non-turbo, piston bug smasher like a C-172
or warrior is not likely to be.

Also if you lose comm with ATC on VFR following, ATC is not likely to
get excited about it.

My personal rule of thumb is if I'm going to be flying over an area
that I would not care to be stuck in for more than a few hours, file
a flight plan.

--
Jim Pennino

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