Activate VFR flight plan from ForeFlight

itsjames2011

itsjames2011

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Jul 21, 2014
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165
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Chicopee MA
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James
I filed my flight plan tonight via ForeFlight. Nothing major just a 100nm X/C from Westfield(KBAF) Massachusetts down to Teterboro(KTEB) New Jersey. If I select activate after I am leveled off in cruise, do I still need to call flight service and open my flight plan or is this integrated? The ForeFlight manual says that the app talks directly to Lockheed Martin so I'm assuming I should be all set? And before anybody asks I do have cell phone service on the iPad in question.

Thanks,
James
 
itsjames2011 said:
I filed my flight plan tonight via ForeFlight. Nothing major just a 100nm X/C from Westfield(KBAF) Massachusetts down to Teterboro(KTEB) New Jersey. If I select activate after I am leveled off in cruise, do I still need to call flight service and open my flight plan or is this integrated? The ForeFlight manual says that the app talks directly to Lockheed Martin so I'm assuming I should be all set? And before anybody asks I do have cell phone service on the iPad in question.

Thanks,
James
Click to expand...

You probably won't have cell service in cruise, so you'll need to call FSS. If you miraculously have cell service and sufficient data to actually get the activate to work, then it's the same as calling.
 
mkosmo said:
You probably won't have cell service in cruise, so you'll need to call FSS. If you miraculously have cell service and sufficient data to actually get the activate to work, then it's the same as calling.
Click to expand...

Unless he is cruising at 14,000 or higher. there is a great chance he has cell service...

Also,, if he crashes before he gets to cruising altitude.. they won't know about him....

Personally, I would open the flight plan just before I launch..IMHO
 
N801BH said:
Unless he is cruising at 14,000 or higher. there is a great chance he has cell service...

Also,, if he crashes before he gets to cruising altitude.. they won't know about him....

Personally, I would open the flight plan just before I launch..IMHO
Click to expand...

You get data service that high? Maybe due to the mountains? I sure as hell don't, and I'm in and near a major metro area, but it's flat land. Cell tower antennas aren't designed to radiate upwards -- it'd be wasted electricity. Usually get data to 3k or so (and often lower), but that's iffy. Voice is no longer reliable past 4.
 
mkosmo said:
You get data service that high? Maybe due to the mountains? I sure as hell don't, and I'm in and near a major metro area, but it's flat land. Cell tower antennas aren't designed to radiate upwards -- it'd be wasted electricity. Usually get data to 3k or so (and often lower), but that's iffy. Voice is no longer reliable past 4.
Click to expand...

Reference point.... A couple of years ago, I was helping a new pilot friend fly to OSH... Somewhere over VERY rural South Dakota we both looked at our phones and they showed a good signal, so I called his cell phone.. It rang... he picked up and we chatted for a couple of minutes,, and laughed at the technology.....

We were Eastbound at 17,500........

True story...:yes:
 
I just hit activate as I am taxiing out or in the run up area, but you do need good cell service or it won't go through, learned that the hard way.
 
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