"normal" procedure for pop-up filing

Steven P. McNicoll wrote:

Forget about the remarks, just use "VFR" as the requested altitude.

That will guarantee you get flight following?

Antonio

"Antoñio" wrote in message
ups.com...

That will guarantee you get flight following?


No, it will do what Ray wants, "pre-file your VFR flight plan with DUATS so
ATC already has a strip on you at initial call-up, just like with IFR."
Nothing can guarantee you get flight following.

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote:

Forget about the remarks, just use "VFR" as the requested altitude.

Interesting tip, Steven.

I just tried this and the Cirrus interface software refused it,
demanding an integer for the altitude. However, DUATS accepted it when
I used the direct, interactve connection.

I plan to file this again for a real trip this weekend to see how the
TRACON reacts. I suspect it's something they rarely, if ever, see.
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

Andrew Sarangan wrote:

I get FF whenever I fly VFR, but there are times when that may be a
hassle. If you are engaged in conversation with your pax, it is easy to
miss an ATC transmission. I've heard ATC chide pilots "if you want
flight following, you better listen to the radio".

That is the reason I didn't use it on my return trip this Saturday. My
eight year-old was along and wanted to talk about stuff and I had to
keep him somewhat quiet on the way out using FF. So I just monitored
Center on the return trip, but never called them up. That is probably
the only downside though to FF and I use it often when I'm not flying IFR.


Matt

Steven P. McNicoll wrote:

"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...

By the same token, I've never understood why the FAA doesn't make it
easier to get flight following. You should be able to pre-file your
VFR flight plan with DUATS so ATC already has a strip on you at
initial call-up, just like with IFR. Then you wouldn't have to waste
so much time on the frequency with where you're going, aircraft type,
etc.

I've been told you can play tricks with DUAT, filing an IFR flight
plan and putting "VFR" in the remarks section, but you shouldn't have
to resort to subterfuge like that for what seems like such a simple
and logical thing.



Forget about the remarks, just use "VFR" as the requested altitude.



Is this an "official" FAA procedure or just something that most
controllers understand as an indication that FF will be requested?


Matt

Matt Whiting wrote:

Is this an "official" FAA procedure or just something that most
controllers understand as an indication that FF will be requested?

I've never seen it published, but it is known to work. Oakland
actually encourages it for VFR class B transitions. It's how
ADIZ and FRZ flight plans get routed in the DC Area as well (although
you are not authorized to use that ploy to get ADIZ flight plans
for VFRs).

Dan Luke wrote:
"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote:

Forget about the remarks, just use "VFR" as the requested altitude.


Interesting tip, Steven.

I just tried this and the Cirrus interface software refused it,
demanding an integer for the altitude. However, DUATS accepted it when
I used the direct, interactve connection.

I plan to file this again for a real trip this weekend to see how the
TRACON reacts. I suspect it's something they rarely, if ever, see.

I've had the clearance delivery guy here at RDU swear there couldn't possibly be
a strip for me if I'm VFR... followed by "oh, here it is...".

DGB

Steven P. McNicoll wrote:
"Anto=F1io" wrote in message
ups.com...

That will guarantee you get flight following?


No, it will do what Ray wants, "pre-file your VFR flight plan with DUATS =
so
ATC already has a strip on you at initial call-up, just like with IFR."
Nothing can guarantee you get flight following.

I understood him as wanting a way to file in advance for flight
following.


Roy stated:

"By the same token, I've never understood why the FAA doesn't make it
easier to get flight following. You should be able to pre-file your
VFR flight plan with DUATS so ATC already has a strip on you at
initial call-up, just like with IFR. Then you wouldn't have to waste
so much time on the frequency with where you're going, aircraft type,
etc.

I've been told you can play tricks with DUAT, filing an IFR flight
plan and putting "VFR" in the remarks section, but you shouldn't have
to resort to subterfuge like that for what seems like such a simple
and logical thing. "

Your reply seemed to imply that he could obtain flight following by
putting "VFR" in the altitude box. I take it you were only saying that
this will generate a strip on him which, in turn, will make it easier
for him to request flight following?

Antonio

On Wed, 25 May 2005 10:54:28 GMT, "Steven P. McNicoll"
wrote:


"Antoñio" wrote in message
oups.com...

That will guarantee you get flight following?


No, it will do what Ray wants, "pre-file your VFR flight plan with DUATS so
ATC already has a strip on you at initial call-up, just like with IFR."
Nothing can guarantee you get flight following.


This is for IR pilots only, right? A non-IR pilot cannot file an IFR
flight plan, can they?

Antoñio wrote:


I've been told you can play tricks with DUAT, filing an IFR flight
plan and putting "VFR" in the remarks section, but you shouldn't have
to resort to subterfuge like that for what seems like such a simple
and logical thing. "

Your reply seemed to imply that he could obtain flight following by
putting "VFR" in the altitude box. I take it you were only saying that
this will generate a strip on him which, in turn, will make it easier
for him to request flight following?

It's not really subterfuge. The IFR box gets it automatically routed
to approach. This is because there's no indication that a VFR flight
plan ever needs to go to ATC...it would generate a lot of strips that
were never used if they did. It's the same whether the strip is filed
by DUAT or by the FSS briefer. If it goes to ATC it's because someone
ticked IFR in the first block.