Flight Following

"Maule Driver" wrote in message
. com...
Steven P. McNicoll wrote:
"Guillermo" wrote in message
...

sometimes I'll just choose an airport which is the direction of the
flight
you are going to do (to keep it easy), and once you get where you want
to
go, you tell ATC that you want to circle and go back.

Why is that easier than telling ATC what you actually intend to do?

That seems best. I used to to do the Guillermo thing but would get
tripped up. Just say what you are doing.

In my usual case worked just fine because I got radar service terminated
(because the airport was just outside the flight following area), then I
went to the area, not landed,and came back and requested flight following to
my original airport.
It was just easier to say "request flight following to gainesville (GVL)",
than "request flight following to the area about 50 miles ENE of my
departure airport, fulton county, so I can do some maneuevers over lake
lanier, and then fly back"

" wrote in message
oups.com...
Can someone explain to a new pilot (who's never used it!) what flight
following is all about and how to actually get it? Thanks!

When I was doing my primary training, my instructor briefly discussed VFR
flight following, but never gave me details about how to figure out what
frequency to use.

I note that none of the responses provide this information either.

Before you can ask someone for VFR FF, and then use VFR FF, you need to know
who to ask and how to contact them. The "who" is usually relatively simple:
it will be the radar facility in that area. Look in the A/FD under the
"communications" section, for a center or approach/departure control
frequency, and that's who you contact. In some cases (especially in or near
Class B airspace) the frequencies will be divided according to geography
(often a radial). Some charts show these as well, but you can always figure
out from the A/FD what the right frequency is.

Especially in remote areas, there may not be a radar facility listed in the
A/FD, in which case things get a little more difficult. In that case,
usually you won't be able to contact a radar facility anyway, at least not
until you're also high enough to contact the FSS. And of course, the FSS is
always a good resource for all manner of information, including finding out
who to contact for VFR FF (assuming it's available where you are).

Pete

"Guillermo" wrote in message
...

In my usual case worked just fine because I got radar service terminated
(because the airport was just outside the flight following area), then I
went to the area, not landed,and came back and requested flight following
to
my original airport.
It was just easier to say "request flight following to gainesville (GVL)",
than "request flight following to the area about 50 miles ENE of my
departure airport, fulton county, so I can do some maneuevers over lake
lanier, and then fly back"


What do you find hard about saying "request flight following to Lake Lanier
for airwork"?

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
ink.net...


What do you find hard about saying "request flight following to Lake
Lanier
for airwork"?

I guess I could do that. But I think controllers like airports as reference
points better than otehr landmarks. And as I said, both will yield the same
result in this case because I am told to squawk VFR as soon as I leave the
class B area....

"Guillermo" wrote in message
...

I guess I could do that. But I think controllers like airports as
reference
points better than otehr landmarks.


Controllers aren't that fussy. Any prominent landmark or fix is as good as
any other.

" wrote in message
oups.com...
Can someone explain to a new pilot (who's never used it!) what flight
following is all about and how to actually get it? Thanks!


Something that I wasnt sure about is what to do when I was s student pilot
when you are handed to the next controller.
I had already said to the first controller my airplane type, location,
altitude and destination, and gotten a squawk code.

If they hand you to the next one:
--- cessna XXXGT, contact atlanta approach 121.0

you can simply acknowledge, tune 121.0, and just say:
--- Atlanta approach, cessna XXXGT with you, level at 5500.

Now if the controller says:
---cessna XXXGT, radar service terminated, you can try atlanta approach
121.0, squawk VFR

Then you have to squawk 1200, and say the whole story to the next controller
again, to see if he wants to give you flight following.

guillermo

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Guillermo" wrote in message
...

I guess I could do that. But I think controllers like airports as
reference
points better than otehr landmarks.


Controllers aren't that fussy. Any prominent landmark or fix is as good
as any other.
FWIW, I don't give any destination or route in the request when
VFR and have very seldom been asked for it. One time was midway
cross-country when I had been handed over to one sector, then made a turn
over an intersection and headed for another.

Arnold Sten wrote:

Paul Tomblin wrote:

In a previous article, " said:

Can someone explain to a new pilot (who's never used it!) what flight
following is all about and how to actually get it? Thanks!



It means that sort-of like an IFR flight, ATC will provide traffic
advisories on a work-load permitting basis (which means that they may
point out some traffic but then not point out the one that's actually
heading straight for you because they got busy with some IFR traffic),
and
they may hand you off to another facility as you leave their airspace, or
they may just say "frequency change approved, squawk VFR", again
depending
on workload (and apparently, how much they hate the guys in the next
facility).

For a VFR-only pilot, it means you have another pair of eyes looking out
for you (or half a pair of eyes, sometimes), and it gives you an
experience with the system that will help when you get your instrument
rating. It does not mean you can fly head down in the cockpit or relax
your scan for conflicting traffic.

In addition to the above, using Flight Following means that you are in
direct contact with ATC should you develop some sort of in-flight
emergency. You can therefore communicate that difficulty immediately
without having to search for the available and appropriate controlling
agency.

The appropriate response in an emergency is to dial up 121.5 and not
worry about who answers. :-)


A follow-up question, however: How do request flight following when you
are not actually doing a cross-country? Let's say that my flight
intentions are to fly 50 NM away from my home base in order do
sight-seeing and photo shooting, turn around (not land), and go back
home. Do I simply tell ATC of those intentions of doing nothing more
than a round robin flight? Whenever I have ask for FF, the controller
always asks for a destination. What are you supposed to say?

I just tell them that I plan to fly to a certain area, shoot some photos
and then return. Or do some sightseeing or whatever. They usually
don't seem to care what I'm planning to do.

Matt

In a previous article, Matt Whiting said:
Arnold Sten wrote:
In addition to the above, using Flight Following means that you are in
direct contact with ATC should you develop some sort of in-flight
emergency. You can therefore communicate that difficulty immediately
without having to search for the available and appropriate controlling
agency.

The appropriate response in an emergency is to dial up 121.5 and not
worry about who answers. :-)

The appropriate response to an emergency is to talk to the person who
you're already talking to, because they already have a decent idea where
you are and where you're going and what type of plane you're in.

And if you were to croak and your non-pilot passenger had to take over, it
would be a lot easier for them if they didn't have to turn any dials.

--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
It's not hard, it's just asking for a visit by the ****up fairy.
-- Peter da Silva

Guillermo wrote:

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
ink.net...


What do you find hard about saying "request flight following to Lake

Lanier

for airwork"?


I guess I could do that. But I think controllers like airports as reference
points better than otehr landmarks. And as I said, both will yield the same
result in this case because I am told to squawk VFR as soon as I leave the
class B area....



I'm not sure about that. I've found most controllers know the area as
well or better than I do, even around my home drome.

Matt