Missing flight plans

I think Michelle was saying that it was a lack of professionalism that led
to accidents, and not filing a flight plan was one of the marks of
unprofessional flying...



"Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATcox.net wrote in message
...

"Michelle" wrote in message
...
As to your question, it just seems so "unprofessional" and I think
unprofessional conduct by pilots is a big part of the reason GA has such
a
higher accident rate than cars, and private pilots have the highest
rates
among their pilot brethren.



How exactly Michelle will filing a VFR flight plan reduce the accident
rate
in aircraft? As since you mentioned it, do you file a drive plane when you
drive a car?

On 08/04/06 10:41, 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.


Actually, ATC is not required to maintain communications with you,
and if you suddenly disappear, they may assume you just went off-
frequency and shut off your transponder (or had a power failure,
etc.). I don't see why they would begin a search and rescue in
this case.

Of course, you may be able to get a message off before you crash
(assuming you don't really have a power/com failure) but this is no
substitute for a VFR flight plan IMHO.


--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Airplane
Cal Aggie Flying Farmers
Sacramento, CA

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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"Lakeview Bill" wrote in message
t...
I think Michelle was saying that it was a lack of professionalism that led
to accidents, and not filing a flight plan was one of the marks of
unprofessional flying...


I think she tied professionalism to filing a VFR flight plan and that is
just silly.

In rec.aviation.owning B A R R Y wrote:
On Fri, 04 Aug 2006 19:05:02 GMT, wrote:


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.

Hence my inclusion of "many cases", and my lack of absolute terms..

I'd file there, just like you. I typically fly around New England and
the Mid-Atlantic states, where radar and ATC comm coverage is very
good.

I'm in the southwest and fly a lot over mountains and desert where ATC
coverage is marginal at C-172 altitudes.

I also carry a survival bag with stuff for a couple of days.

--
Jim Pennino

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On Fri, 04 Aug 2006 20:05:02 GMT, wrote:
I also carry a survival bag with stuff for a couple of days.

So, what caliber do you prefer in your survival bag?

Mark Hansen wrote:



Actually, ATC is not required to maintain communications with you,
and if you suddenly disappear, they may assume you just went off-
frequency and shut off your transponder (or had a power failure,
etc.). I don't see why they would begin a search and rescue in
this case.

ATC is required to, that's why.

On 08/04/06 13:42, Newps wrote:

Mark Hansen wrote:



Actually, ATC is not required to maintain communications with you,
and if you suddenly disappear, they may assume you just went off-
frequency and shut off your transponder (or had a power failure,
etc.). I don't see why they would begin a search and rescue in
this case.

ATC is required to, that's why.

When you're on flight following (traffic advisories) and have stop
talking to ATC, they are required to begin a search and rescue operation?

Note that this discussion was about *not* having a flight plan open.


--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Airplane
Cal Aggie Flying Farmers
Sacramento, CA

B A R R Y wrote:
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.



Yep, turns out that most ATC freqs are as good or better than
121.5. I heard the cub go down in Lake Michigan last weekend.
His mayday was on Gary Tower and Gary was on the phone with
Chicago and they were vectoring a Gary departure over towards
the last spot they had him on radar. Better yet if they
already are watching you. I lost contact with PXT one day
while getting flight following (just got too far away and
couldn't hear them anymore, so I just set 1200 and broadcast
I was leaving in the blind.

By the time I got to my destination there were aircraft calling
on the CTAF there relaying inquiries from Approach as to whether
I'd made it there.

On the other hand, there was a case in CT (if I recall right)
where a pilot was on an IFR plan, was switched to CTAF and
told the controller that he'd probably be back after a missed.
The controller never received the cancellation and forgot
about the guy. Unfortunately, he crashed on approach and
nobody noticed until the next morning.

VFR plans are a nice backup, but I'd like to be dealing with
someone immediately.

Grumman-581 wrote:
On Fri, 04 Aug 2006 20:05:02 GMT, wrote:
I also carry a survival bag with stuff for a couple of days.

So, what caliber do you prefer in your survival bag?
one forty-five caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days'
concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics,
morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills;
one miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible; one hundred
dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing
gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon
stockings.