Flight Following question

Jim Carter wrote:

So far, every time I come out of ROG and request flight following to it
doesn’t matter where, I get a discrete squawk that allows departure to
hand me off to Memphis Center, or Dallas, or Kansas City. Coming out of
LIT however I’ve never been given anything except a local code and then
about 15 miles out the familiar “radar advisories terminated, squawk
VFR, have a nice day”.

I specifically tested this twice on Friday, making sure that when I
called up clearance delivery and then ground that I made it very plain
that I was requesting flight following. Both times, again they dumped me
from the system between 15 and 20 miles out. The second time, I forced
the issue and stated that I was requesting flight following for the
enroute segment if able. I was then given a Memphis enroute code and
handed off within about 10 miles.

That happens based on the experience of the tower, same thing happens
here. Fully 99% of the aircraft do not want FF past my airspace.
Therefore everybody gets terminated. For the odd duck that wants it he
has to request it in plain language and we will give him the service.
Just state to ground control that you want FF with the center.

On 12/9/2006 8:16 PM, Jim Carter wrote the following:

My question for the group is: is there a special terminology that should
be used when requesting full-enroute flight following? Or, why do some
controllers provide that service automatically and others seemingly only
under duress? (I don’t think it is a controller issue, however it might
be a facility policy issue).


Normally here in Minneapolis I say something like "... requesting traffic
advisories to KXXX, six thousand, five hundred." And I get a through code in
the 4xxx block.

To do this, I think my local ground control guy (KMIC) has to telephone the KMSP
TRACON for the code. Maybe the call goes to a desk rather than to a
possibly-busy controller where there could be a workload issue?

One time out of Ames, IA talking to the Des Moines TRACON I got a local code
(0xxx). When I was leveled out I asked the TRACON controller "Can you give me a
code that will get me to Minneapolis?" Got a "stand by" and in a couple of
minutes he called back and gave me the code. At the appropriate time he then
handed me off to Center, no problem.

Mitty wrote:



To do this, I think my local ground control guy (KMIC) has to telephone
the KMSP TRACON for the code. Maybe the call goes to a desk rather than
to a possibly-busy controller where there could be a workload issue?

It depends. Does MIC have a DBRITE? If so then they more than likely
will have something set up with MSP so MIC can get their own codes so a
call doesn't have to be made.




One time out of Ames, IA talking to the Des Moines TRACON I got a local
code (0xxx). When I was leveled out I asked the TRACON controller "Can
you give me a code that will get me to Minneapolis?" Got a "stand by"
and in a couple of minutes he called back and gave me the code. At the
appropriate time he then handed me off to Center, no problem.

He didn't call MSP, he simply input a VFR flight plan into the FDIO
which spit out a center code.

On 12/10/2006 11:45 AM, Newps wrote the following:


Mitty wrote:



To do this, I think my local ground control guy (KMIC) has to
telephone the KMSP TRACON for the code. Maybe the call goes to a desk
rather than to a possibly-busy controller where there could be a
workload issue?

It depends. Does MIC have a DBRITE? If so then they more than likely
will have something set up with MSP so MIC can get their own codes so a
call doesn't have to be made.


Yes, they have a DBRITE. Once in a while I get a code instantly, but usually
(90%) I get "code on request" and they come back with it in a couple of minutes.
For an IFR departure, I always get "clearance on request." and a short wait.
I have assumed that was to get the code as the tower should have the IFR flight
strip already, right?



One time out of Ames, IA talking to the Des Moines TRACON I got a
local code (0xxx). When I was leveled out I asked the TRACON
controller "Can you give me a code that will get me to Minneapolis?"
Got a "stand by" and in a couple of minutes he called back and gave me
the code. At the appropriate time he then handed me off to Center, no
problem.

He didn't call MSP, he simply input a VFR flight plan into the FDIO
which spit out a center code.

I didn't think he called MSP for the code but I didn't know how he got it. I
assumed there was some kind of "give me the next available code" button at his
position.

Mitty wrote:


Yes, they have a DBRITE. Once in a while I get a code instantly, but
usually (90%) I get "code on request" and they come back with it in a
couple of minutes. For an IFR departure, I always get "clearance on
request." and a short wait. I have assumed that was to get the code as
the tower should have the IFR flight strip already, right?

No, not always. Sounds like the have to call MSP to get their codes and
clearances.

Jim Carter wrote:
So far, every time I come out of ROG and request flight following to it
doesn’t matter where, I get a discrete squawk that allows departure to
hand me off to Memphis Center, or Dallas, or Kansas City. Coming out of
LIT however I’ve never been given anything except a local code and then
about 15 miles out the familiar “radar advisories terminated, squawk
VFR, have a nice day”.

I specifically tested this twice on Friday, making sure that when I
called up clearance delivery and then ground that I made it very plain
that I was requesting flight following. Both times, again they dumped me
from the system between 15 and 20 miles out. The second time, I forced
the issue and stated that I was requesting flight following for the
enroute segment if able. I was then given a Memphis enroute code and
handed off within about 10 miles.

My question for the group is: is there a special terminology that should
be used when requesting full-enroute flight following? Or, why do some
controllers provide that service automatically and others seemingly only
under duress? (I don’t think it is a controller issue, however it might
be a facility policy issue).

I use a non-demanding request such as ...wonder if you could put me in
the computer for flight following to XYZ.

That almost always gets it all the way, or least an explanation why they
can't.