If you have a transponder you are required to squawk and
also use Mode C [altitude] if you have that too. It is
required in some airspace, such as the NYC area.

But you need a flight plan to trigger S&R or be talking to
Radio.

JFK jr was probably using...
Hazardous Area Reporting Service

4-1-20. Hazardous Area Reporting Service

a. Selected FSSs provide flight monitoring where
regularly traveled VFR routes cross large bodies of water,
swamps, and mountains. This service is provided for the
purpose of expeditiously alerting Search and Rescue
facilities when required.
(See FIG 4-1-3.)

1. When requesting the service either in person, by
telephone or by radio, pilots should be prepared to give the
following information: type of aircraft, altitude, indicated
airspeed, present position, route of flight, heading.

2. Radio contacts are desired at least every 10
minutes. If contact is lost for more than 15 minutes, Search
and Rescue will be alerted. Pilots are responsible for
canceling their request for service when they are outside
the service area boundary. Pilots experiencing two-way radio
failure are expected to land as soon as practicable and
cancel their request for the service. FIG 4-1-3 depicts the
areas and the FSS facilities involved in this program.

b. Long Island Sound Reporting Service.

The New York and Bridgeport AFSSs provide Long Island
Sound Reporting service on request for aircraft traversing
Long Island Sound.

1. When requesting the service, pilots should ask for
SOUND REPORTING SERVICE and should be prepared to provide
the following appropriate information:

(a) Type and color of aircraft;

(b) The specific route and altitude across the sound
including the shore crossing point;

(c) The overwater crossing time;

(d) Number of persons on board; and

(e) True air speed.

2. Radio contacts are desired at least every 10
minutes; however, for flights of shorter duration a midsound
report is requested. If contact is lost for more than 15
minutes Search and Rescue will be alerted. Pilots are
responsible for canceling their request for the Long Island
Sound Reporting Service when outside the service area
boundary. Aircraft experiencing radio failure will be
expected to land as soon as practicable and cancel their
request for the service.

3. Communications. Primary communications - pilots are
to transmit on 122.1 MHz and listen on one of the following
VOR frequencies:

(a) New York AFSS Controls:

(1) Hampton RCO (FSS transmits and receives on 122.6
MHz).

(2) Calverton VOR (FSS transmits on 117.2 and receives
on standard FSS frequencies).

(3) Kennedy VORTAC (FSS transmits on 115.9 and
receives on 122.1 MHz).

(b) Bridgeport AFSS Controls:

(1) Madison VORTAC (FSS transmits on 110.4 and
receives on 122.1 MHz).

(2) Groton VOR (FSS transmits on 110.85 and receives
on 122.1 MHz).

(3) Bridgeport VOR (FSS transmits on 108.8 and
receives on 122.1 MHz).

c. Block Island Reporting Service.

Within the Long Island Reporting Service, the New York
FSS also provides an additional service for aircraft
operating between Montauk Point and Block Island. When
requesting this service, pilots should ask for BLOCK ISLAND
REPORTING SERVICE and should be prepared to provide the same
flight information as required for the Long Island Sound
Reporting Service.

1. A minimum of three position reports are mandatory
for this service; these a

(a) Reporting leaving either Montauk Point or Block
Island.

(b) Midway report.

(c) Report when over either Montauk Point or Block
Island. At this time, the overwater service is canceled.

2. Communications. Pilots are to transmit and receive
on 122.6 MHz.

NOTE-
Pilots are advised that 122.6 MHz is a remote receiver
located at the Hampton VORTAC site and designed to provide
radio coverage between Hampton and Block Island. Flights
proceeding beyond Block Island may contact the Bridgeport
AFSS by transmitting on 122.1 MHz and listening on Groton
VOR frequency 110.85 MHz.

d. Cape Cod and Islands Radar Overwater Flight
Following.

In addition to normal VFR radar advisory services,
traffic permitting, Cape Approach Control provides a radar
overwater flight following service for aircraft traversing
the Cape Cod and adjacent Island area. Pilots desiring this
service may contact Cape RAPCON on 118.2 MHz.

1. Pilots requesting this service should be prepared
to give the following information:

(a) Type and color of aircraft;

(b) Altitude;

(c) Position and heading;

(d) Route of flight; and

(e) True airspeed.

2. For best radar coverage, pilots are encouraged to
fly at 1,500 feet MSL or above.

3. Pilots are responsible for canceling their request
for overwater flight following when they are over the
mainland and/or outside the service area boundary.

e. Lake Reporting Service.

Cleveland and Lansing AFSSs provide Lake Reporting
Service on request for aircraft traversing the western half
of Lake Erie; Green Bay, Kankakee, Lansing, and Terre Haute
AFSSs provide Lake Reporting Service on request for aircraft
traversing Lake Michigan.

1. When requesting the service, pilots should ask for
LAKE REPORTING SERVICE.

2. Pilots not on a VFR flight plan should be prepared
to provide all information that is normally provided for a
complete VFR flight plan.

3. Pilots already on a VFR flight plan should be
prepared to provide the following information:

(a) Aircraft or flight identification.

(b) Type of aircraft.

(c) Near-shore crossing point or last fix before
crossing.

(d) Proposed time over near-shore crossing point or
last fix before crossing.

(e) Proposed altitude.

(f) Proposed route of flight.

(g) Estimated time over water.

(h) Next landing point.

(i) AFSS/FSS having complete VFR flight plan
information.

4. Radio contacts must not exceed 10 minutes when
pilots fly at an altitude that affords continuous
communications. If radio contact is lost for more than 15
minutes (5 minutes after a scheduled reporting time), Search
and Rescue (SAR) will be alerted.

5. The estimated time for crossing the far shore will
be the scheduled reporting time for aircraft that fly at an
altitude that does not afford continuous communication
coverage while crossing the lake. If radio contact is not
established within 5 minutes of that time, SAR will be
alerted.

6. Pilots are responsible for canceling their request
for Lake Reporting Service when outside the service area
boundary. Aircraft experiencing radio failure will be
expected to land as soon as practicable and cancel their
Lake Reporting Service flight plan.

7. Communications. Primary communications - Pilots
should communicate with the following facilities on the
indicated frequencies:

(a) Cleveland AFSS Controls:

(1) Cleveland RCO (FSS transmits and receives on
122.35 or 122.55 MHz).

(2) Sandusky VOR (FSS transmits on 109.2 and receives
on 122.1 MHz).

(b) Green Bay AFSS Controls:

(1) Escanaba VORTAC (FSS transmits on 110.8 and
receives on 122.1 MHz).

(2) Green Bay RCO (FSS transmits and receives on
122.55 MHz).

(3) Manistique RCO (FSS transmits and receives on
122.25 MHz).

(4) Manitowoc VOR (FSS transmits on 111.0 and receives
on 122.1 MHz).

(5) Menominee VOR (FSS transmits on 109.6 and receives
on 122.1 MHz).

(6) Milwaukee RCO (FSS transmits and receives on
122.65 MHz).

(7) Falls VOR (FSS transmits on 110.0 and receives on
122.1 MHz).

(c) Kankakee AFSS Controls:

(1) Chicago Heights VORTAC (FSS transmits on 114.2 and
receives on 122.1 MHz).

(2) Meigs RCO (FSS transmits and receives on 122.15
MHz).

(3) Waukegan RCO (FSS transmits and receives on 122.55
MHz).

(d) Lansing AFSS Controls:

(1) Lake Erie. Detroit City RCO (FSS transmits and
receives on 122.55 MHz).

(2) Lake Michigan:

[d] Keeler VORTAC (FSS transmits on 116.6 and receives
on 122.1 MHz).

[e] Ludington RCO (FSS transmits and receives on
122.45 MHz).

[f] Manistee VORTAC (FSS transmits on 111.4 and
receives on 122.1 MHz).

[g] Muskegon RCO (FSS transmits and receives on 122.5
MHz).

[h] Pellston RCO (FSS transmits and receives on 122.3
MHz).

[i] Pullman VORTAC (FSS transmits on 112.1 and
receives on 122.1 MHz).

[j] Traverse City RCO (FSS transmits and receives on
122.65 MHz).

(e) Terre Haute AFSS Controls. South Bend RCO (FSS
transmits and receives on 122.6 MHz).

f. Everglades Reporting Service.

This service is offered by Miami Automated
International Flight Service Station (MIA AIFSS), in extreme
southern Florida. The service is provided to aircraft
crossing the Florida Everglades, between Lee County (Ft.
Myers, FL) VORTAC (RSW) on the northwest side, and Dolphin
(Miami, FL) VOR (DHP) on the southeast side.

1. The pilot must request the service from Miami
AIFSS.

2. MIA AIFSS frequency information, 122.2, 122.3, and
122.65.

3. The pilot must file a VFR flight plan with the
remark: ERS.

4. The pilot must maintain 2000 feet of altitude.

5. The pilot must make position reports every ten (10)
minutes. SAR begins fifteen (15) minutes after position
report is not made on time.

6. The pilot is expected to land as soon as is
practical, in the event of two-way radio failure, and advise
MIA AIFSS that the service is terminated.

7. The pilot must notify Miami AIFSS when the flight
plan is cancelled or the service is suspended.




"Steve Foley" wrote in message
news:%JE8h.2135$gJ1.1662@trndny09...
| "Jim Macklin" wrote
in message
| ...
| Having a transponder squawking 1200 does very little
toward
| S&R.
|
| Isn't that how they located JFK Jr's plane?
|
| It's better to squawk 1200 than not squawk.
|
| Talk to people on the radio, that's what the radio is
for.
|
| Yup.
|
|
|