Flight Following

I've never been actually denied service, but Indy Approach never
responded to calls once when I flew through there.

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.

g



"Arnold Sten" wrote in message
...
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.
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?

Arnold Sten

"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?

"Gary Drescher" wrote in message
...
" 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!

Flight following is a colloquial term for VFR radar traffic advisories
(see
the AIM's Pilot/Controller Glossary).

Any idea how they came up with that term? How did they pick "following"
rather than something like "Flight Advisories"? Wouldn't that be more
descriptive and to the point?

"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
...

"Gary Drescher" wrote in message
...
" 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!

Flight following is a colloquial term for VFR radar traffic advisories
(see
the AIM's Pilot/Controller Glossary).

Any idea how they came up with that term? How did they pick "following"
rather than something like "Flight Advisories"? Wouldn't that be more
descriptive and to the point?

Alliteration perhaps?

--Gary

Same thing happened to me with New York. It was a clear night, so I went up
and over them.
"Paul kgyy" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've never been actually denied service, but Indy Approach never
responded to calls once when I flew through there.

Steve Foley wrote:

Same thing happened to me with New York. It was a clear night, so I went up
and over them.
"Paul kgyy" wrote in message
oups.com...

I've never been actually denied service, but Indy Approach never
responded to calls once when I flew through there.




I had it denied one in a low use area of Arkansas. (No jokes, please). I
continued to listen until a shift change and new voice. I went back and
made another request and got it.


--
Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
KSWI

AIM 4-1-16. Shame on your instructor for not covering this during your
training.

Bob Gardner

" 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!

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.

"Steve Foley" wrote in message
news:kYEke.5$SV3.2@trnddc03...
If you ever departed a class B or class C airport VFR, you had flight
following.

I start like this:

Me: Bradley Approach - N6480R request.

Bradley: N6480R - go ahead.

Me: Bradley Approacy - Cherokee 6480R is 5 miles south of Spencer, VFR to
Atlantic City at two thousand, climbing to four thousand five hundred.

You forgot to axe for flight following. That's why you had to
"wait-wait-wait."

--
Jim Fisher