Having a transponder squawking 1200 does very little toward
S&R. It allows ATC to advise IFR traffic that there is a
VFR aircraft in their area at some unconfirmed altitude.
Unless the aircraft contacts ATC and gets a discrete squawk
code, tracking of the aircraft will be a remote S&R assist.

VFR aircraft flying away from populated areas, a requirement
in Canada, should file a VFR flight plan because that will
trigger a S&R if the aircraft becomes over-due. Understand,
that unless you make a radio report of trouble or have a
working ELT, S&R begins with a communications search.
Actually looking in the wide open spaces may not begin for
24 hours after the plane is over due.

That is reasons for enhanced services such as flight
following, and special hazardous area reporting over water
and mountains.

Talk to people on the radio, that's what the radio is for.



"T o d d P a t t i s t" wrote
in message
...
| "Kev" wrote:
|
| Will you complainers please just killfile him, and stop
wasting
| everyone else's time with your useles responses?
|
| I completely agree - if you don't want to answer his
| questions - then don't. He asked a question about
position
| reporting. It's a valid question and a good topic for
| discussion. It's the type of question a student who had
| studied lots of books, but had not yet done much flying
| would ask. It's exactly the type of question that seldom
| gets asked because it's advanced enough that beginners
don't
| know to ask it, and by the time the student pilot might
ask
| it, he already knows about flight plans and transponders,
so
| doesn't.
|
| The AIM recommends VFR position reports, yet few use them.
| Why? If you are going cross country in a transponderless
| Champ, then filing a VFR flight plan and using position
| reports is a good idea.
|
| Here's what the AIM says:
| "To maintain IFR proficiency, pilots are urged to
| practice IFR procedures whenever possible, even when
| operating VFR. Some suggested practices include:.... Make
| accurate and frequent position reports to the FSSs along
| your route of flight."
| ...
| "Although position reports are not required for VFR
| flight plans, periodic reports to FAA FSSs along the route
| are good practice. Such contacts permit significant
| information to be passed to the transiting aircraft and
also
| serve to check the progress of the flight should it be
| necessary for any reason to locate the aircraft."
|
| --
| Rule books are paper - they will not cushion a sudden
meeting of stone and metal.
|
| - Ernest K. Gann, 'Fate is the Hunter.'