Who does flight plans?

"Greg Farris" wrote in message
...
Many rental companies REQUIRE you to file a flight plan if yoiu're going
more
than 50nm from their base. This is a bit of an inconvenience, as it cuts
your
liberty to fly where you want. [...]

As has been pointed out, if the requirement is only to file, that's hardly
an inconvenience with respect to flying where you want to.

Even if you are required to have an active flight plan, diversions are not
difficult to deal with. You simply find the nearest FSS frequency, and
amend your plan (ETA for sure, route if it's changed significantly enough).

I've never run into an FBO that requires flight plans, but if I did, I would
pay very close attention to their exact requirements, and what -- if any --
implications it has for insurance coverage. In many cases, the renter's not
actually covered by the FBO's insurance anyway, but it's possible that where
a renter is covered, and where a "flight plan required" policy is in force,
the insurance would be valid only if the flight plan requirement is met.

Anyway, I do use VFR flight plans for long cross-country flights, especially
if they are over hostile terrain and/or I don't expect to be in radio
contact during the flight. Of course, I'm not sure that the question of
filing or opening a flight plan is what the original poster had in mind.

Pete

"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
...
"Greg Farris" wrote in message
...
Of course, I'm not sure that the question of filing or opening a flight
plan is what the original poster had in mind.

Pete


No, it wasn't what I had in mind. I file flight plans all the time since I
do a lot of IFR flying. I was asking about the pre-filing flight planning
activities that people engage in. For me that activity is 90% weather.

And, it has become clear to me from reading the responses in this thread
that it is different in the Washington - Boston corridor. I have flown there
a number of times, usually between Gaithersburg, Reading, East Hampton and
Portland (cities where I have family or business) and when I do I file
airways, as one other poster suggested. Maybe it is because I don't have
enough knowledge of preferred routes in the area, but my experience has been
that I never get what I file anyway, and that I usually get at least one or
two clearances changes in route.

Michael

"Michael 182" wrote in message
...
[...]
And, it has become clear to me from reading the responses in this thread
that it is different in the Washington - Boston corridor.

Most of the people haven't even said where they fly. How is that clear to
you?

For what it's worth, I live in the Pacific Northwest, and the bulk of my
cross-country flying is done in the western states. The planning is
different from that used in densely populated areas, but just as important.

Pete