IFR Cancellation Question

Steven P. McNicoll wrote:
Yes, you can get an altitude assignment while VFR, but you can't (properly)
get one from Seattle Center while VFR. Reporting the field serves a purpose
if you're IFR, but not if you're VFR.

When I get flight following from New York Approach, they always ask me to
report the field in sight. (This is for both controlled and uncontrolled
fields.) This is for airports that are NOT in the Bravo airspace --
they're either near or underneath it.

I assume the purpose it serves is it tells them when they can terminate
flight following.

.... Alan
--
Alan Gerber
PP-ASEL
gerber AT panix DOT com

Alan Gerber wrote in
:

I assume the purpose it serves is it tells them when they can
terminate flight following.

Alan,

VFR flight following is workload permitted basis.

So, like you, I have experienced the same, approach asking me to advise
airport in sight. Approach can tell you to squawk VFR, have a good day
well before you have a visual on VFR flight following. In my area, I have
never had that done except once when I was arriving after the ATC shut down
for the night.

Generally IN MY AREA, if it's that busy, approach much rather you squawk
and talk then not. But I am only dealing with C airspace.

For IFR, a visual approach requires sight of the airport / runway
environment, and ATC cannot terminate your IFR until you request it (I.E
cancel IFR like in my case at an uncontrolled airport) or land at a
controlled airport.

Allen

A Lieberma wrote:
Alan Gerber wrote in
I assume the purpose it serves is it tells them when they can
terminate flight following.
VFR flight following is workload permitted basis.

I guess I worded that poorly. Of course they can terminate flight
following whenever they need to. Once the field is in sight, you pretty
much *need* to terminate flight following -- either to contact the tower,
for a towered field, or to start talking on CTAF, otherwise.

So, like you, I have experienced the same, approach asking me to advise
airport in sight. Approach can tell you to squawk VFR, have a good day
well before you have a visual on VFR flight following. In my area, I have
never had that done except once when I was arriving after the ATC shut down
for the night.

I've had that done on occasion -- including my long student X-C solo. I
assumed they weren't able to do the handoff, especially since they gave me
the frequency to try myself later.

.... Alan
--
Alan Gerber
PP-ASEL
gerber AT panix DOT com

Alan Gerber wrote:

I guess I worded that poorly. Of course they can terminate flight
following whenever they need to. Once the field is in sight, you pretty
much *need* to terminate flight following -- either to contact the tower,
for a towered field, or to start talking on CTAF, otherwise.


What if you're just a couple of miles from the field but haven't
reported it in sight?

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in
s.com:

What if you're just a couple of miles from the field but haven't
reported it in sight?

Surely I hope you are not talking from experience on this scenario??? If
so, what exactly did happen?

On a *clear* day where visibility is above marginal VFR, couple miles from
the airport, I am betting what you are describing is a very, very and very
rare occurance.

And would your workload permit VFR flight following on days where MVFR and
IFR traffic are intermingling?

What you describe above would **almost** sound like an emergency situation
for a lost pilot and nothing near the norm???

Allen

A Lieberma wrote:
"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in
s.com:

What if you're just a couple of miles from the field but haven't
reported it in sight?

Surely I hope you are not talking from experience on this scenario???


Why?



If so, what exactly did happen?


It hasn't happened with me, it will inevitably happen where controllers
do not terminate flight following until pilots report the field in
sight.



On a *clear* day where visibility is above marginal VFR, couple miles from
the airport, I am betting what you are describing is a very, very and very
rare occurance.


How much are you willing to bet?



And would your workload permit VFR flight following on days where MVFR and
IFR traffic are intermingling?


Yes.



What you describe above would **almost** sound like an emergency situation
for a lost pilot and nothing near the norm???


Why is that?

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in
ups.com:

On a *clear* day where visibility is above marginal VFR, couple miles
from the airport, I am betting what you are describing is a very,
very and very rare occurance.


How much are you willing to bet?

Again, from your experiences, sounds like I am right....

What you describe above would **almost** sound like an emergency
situation for a lost pilot and nothing near the norm???


Why is that?

Ummm lost pilot doesn't bode well for traffic????? Be realistic, clear
day, VMC and the pilot doesn't see the airport within a couple of miles?

Sounds like a problem, not the norm.

Allen

Steven P. McNicoll wrote:
What if you're just a couple of miles from the field but haven't
reported it in sight?

I'm not sure. I wouldn't want to drop from the frequency without flight
following being terminated. If I didn't report it because I didn't see
it, I'd ask for help finding it. If I didn't report it because I just
dropped from the frequency, what would happen? Would it trigger S&R
procedures?

.... Alan

--
Alan Gerber
PP-ASEL
gerber AT panix DOT com

"Alan Gerber" wrote in message
...

What if you're just a couple of miles from the field but haven't
reported it in sight?


I'm not sure. I wouldn't want to drop from the frequency without flight
following being terminated.


Why not?



If I didn't report it because I didn't see
it, I'd ask for help finding it.


Would you make that request when you were just a couple of miles from the
field, or would you make it a bit earlier than that?



If I didn't report it because I just
dropped from the frequency, what would happen?


Probably nothing. It's not uncommon for VFR pilots to do just that.



Would it trigger S&R procedures?


No. Loss of radio and radar contact in an area where the controller would
expect to have both would trigger a search, but not lass of radio contact
alone.

Steven P. McNicoll wrote:
I'm not sure. I wouldn't want to drop from the frequency without flight
following being terminated.

Why not?

Because I assumed it would be smoother to formally terminate it. I also
thought that it could trigger S&R, depending on the circumstances.

From your response below, though, I see my assumptions are unfounded.

If I didn't report it because I didn't see
it, I'd ask for help finding it.


Would you make that request when you were just a couple of miles from the
field, or would you make it a bit earlier than that?

It depends. If I were looking for a field inside a B or C airspace, or
with somewhere I didn't want to go on the other side, I'd probably ask for
help sooner, rather than risk being in the wrong place. Otherwise, I'd
probably make the request *later*, after trying to find it on my own.

(In case anybody forgets the context, we're talking VFR here, not IFR.)

If I didn't report it because I just
dropped from the frequency, what would happen?

Probably nothing. It's not uncommon for VFR pilots to do just that.

That's good to know. Not that I'd do it on purpose, but it's nice to know
it's acceptable.

Would it trigger S&R procedures?

No. Loss of radio and radar contact in an area where the controller would
expect to have both would trigger a search, but not lass of radio contact
alone.

Again, that's good to know.

.... Alan
--
Alan Gerber
PP-ASEL
gerber AT panix DOT com