Filing a Flight Plan

Do You File a Flight Plan

  • I file only for cross country flights

    Votes: 21 43.8%

  • I never file for local flights within 50nm of home base

    Votes: 10 20.8%

  • I file every time I fly

    Votes: 2 4.2%

  • I file when destination requires an overnight stay

    Votes: 2 4.2%

  • I let folks know were I'm going and when I'll be back so no need to file

    Votes: 14 29.2%

  • I file only when using flight following

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I file a good portion of the time

    Votes: 4 8.3%

  • I only fly IFR..:)

    Votes: 8 16.7%
  • Total voters
    48
AKBill

AKBill

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AKBill
Just wondering what the GA population's attitude is in filing a flight plan.

Personally I did not file a flight plan for local flights and did not give pilot reports for years.
I changed my mind set a couple of years ago and file flight plans for local flights and give pilot reports often.

Weather briefings is another area I have changed my habits. For years I would check WX, METARS, and TAF on the internet. Today I check WX on the internet,call a briefer and file flight plans for VFR flights.

What do you do?
 
IFR majority of time, and yeah, I usually file for those ;) VFR, I prefer flight following and a PLB vs. filing.
 
I file as much as practical. About 80% of my flights I'd guess. Mostly VF&R. Keeps the numbers up so they don't take it away from us.
 
I only file for IFR or DC/International, I do use flight following if I’m going much over 50nm and I use VFR and IFR frequently as well as a combo between the two, both have advantages and disadvantages and both are tools on my belt which some jobs are better fitted for one vs the other.
 
File for IFR, and then use Flight Following on all flights in DFW's Bravo. Though in frequency of use, few pilots can beat @SixPapaCharlie shortly after he got his license
 
AKBill said:
Just wondering what the GA population's attitude is in filing a flight plan.

Personally I did not file a flight plan for local flights and did not give pilot reports for years.
I changed my mind set a couple of years ago and file flight plans for local flights and give pilot reports often.

Weather briefings is another area I have changed my habits. For years I would check WX, METARS, and TAF on the internet. Today I check WX on the internet,call a briefer and file flight plans for VFR flights.

What do you do?
Click to expand...

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't 'file' a Flight Plan with the FAA. When I do, nowadays I usually do it 'via' Foreflite. When I don't, I've done something else that accomplishes the same thing a 'formal' Flight Plan does. That is, if I do go down, they gonna come looking for me. Sometimes I'm going to be flying a route that if I go down there is no way someones not going to see it and dial 911 and say, OMG an airplane just crashed. These are usually sight seeing trips around the city. If there is a chance I may go down where it's not going to be seen, I file. I back that up with giving my route to an FBO I rented an airplane from. I never, I say again never, use that I will request Flight Following as a substitute for a Flight Plan. I said 'request' for a reason. While not common, sometimes when you 'request' Flight Following you don't get it. And sometimes when you do, it gets terminated because of lost of Radar Contact or controller workload. I always call 800WXBRIEF for TFR's, NOTAMS, AIRMETS and SIGMETS.
 
James331 said:
I only file for IFR or DC/International, I do use flight following if I’m going much over 50nm and I use VFR and IFR frequently as well as a combo between the two, both have advantages and disadvantages and both are tools on my belt which some jobs are better fitted for one vs the other.
Click to expand...

Why Flight Following on the longer flights?
 
The last time I filed was for Canadian overflight. I do get flight following at various times.
 
I usually file but I only open it if I'm refused flight following. I can't see how the flight plan offers any benefit that FF doesn't provide and better.
 
I haven't filed a VFR flight plan since my Student XCs in March 2007, but I do use Flight Following almost all the time (but not on my 10.4nm jaunts for fuel).

I always file flight plans for IFR, and usually file for IFR practice flights. XC travel may be done IFR with a flight plan or VFR with Flight Following, depending upon weather and airspace considerations.

Whenever I think about it, I give PIREPs.
 
Last flight plan was years ago when I was IFR current. I guess never file within 50 is my closest option but I don’t on long XCs also. Fortunately don’t have to do it for work either.

Strange, both dad and brother are former FSS and my dad will say file and brother never files. Of course my dad is old school, face to face briefing, teletype, DF steer guy. Brother is a check the notams and weather online and go get FF kind of of guy.
 
luvflyin said:
You ain't got no choice but to use the equivalent of Flight Following in the Bravo. That be a Bravo Cllearance
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Nit picker.... yes, if you're inside..... but in the context also includes my intended meaning of "in the area of the Bravo space" including under, around, nearby, adjacent to...
 
Interesting that this has been brought up and I was thinking about it recently. I'm not an IR pilot and only use FF when flying anywhere. I'm not sure I would be able to easily open the plan once I filed. I recall during training opening the plan on the Radio frequency after listening to the Morse code and then opening the plan. What are the options for opening the VFR plan?

edit: found this good article... https://thinkaviation.net/open-vfr-flight-plan/
 
DesertNomad said:
Since I earned my IFR ticket 2 years ago, I have only made one non-IFR XC flight that I can remember.
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Don't you have some really high MEA's around your neck of the woods? Do they require oxygen?
 
I think this has been covered a gazillion times on here... Are we running out of things to talk about? We need some gabby females to move us forward... (uh oh, I feel a ban looming...)
 
Half Fast said:
I usually file but I only open it if I'm refused flight following. I can't see how the flight plan offers any benefit that FF doesn't provide and better.
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Depends on what your expectations are for each. FF is great for traffic advisories and staying on ATC's radar - right up until they cancel due to workload or radar coverage. FP helps set up help if you go down, plus some added stuff, if FF happens to cancel. Belt and suspenders maybe.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk
 
In the poll, I wonder whether we're talking interstate xc flights, or ones that barely meet the definition.

I haven't filed a flight plan or used flight following for years.
 
FlySince9 said:
I think this has been covered a gazillion times on here... Are we running out of things to talk about? We need some gabby females to move us forward... (uh oh, I feel a ban looming...)
Click to expand...
:lol::lol::lol:
 
FlySince9 said:
I think this has been covered a gazillion times on here... Are we running out of things to talk about? We need some gabby females to move us forward... (uh oh, I feel a ban looming...)
Click to expand...

They got run off by a bunch of septuagenarians that lacked any sort of decent upbringing.
 
Oh, there is one caveat to that. If/when I fly up the AlCan to Alaska or back down the coast to Bellingham I will be ona VFR flight plan as it's, well, required.
 
Stewartb said:
I haven't filed a flight plan since I added Spidertracks to my plane.
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Hadn't heard of that before. I wanted do the demo but didn't because you have to give your email and phone number. It says it Tracks your flights. Does it initiate SAR if you are overdue?
 
AggieMike88 said:
Nit picker.... yes, if you're inside..... but in the context also includes my intended meaning of "in the area of the Bravo space" including under, around, nearby, adjacent to...
Click to expand...

I have a license to pick nits. Er, uh, make that certificate. :D
 
They used to have a feature called Spiderwatch that made you press a button when you landed or an alert went out automatically. I opted out of that very quickly. I have mine set up to automatically send texts to my wife and kid whenever I take off and land. I pick the speeds that trigger the messages. They can click on the iPhone app and see a satellite view of where I am. If it's someplace that looks airplane friendly they know. If it isn't? They'll call RCC and provide the info. That's better than a flight plan to me. My Spider info link is listed on my ELT registration. In Alaska we can include SPOT, Inreach, or Spidertracks links on a flight plan. Is that done down south, too?

My wife is a big fan of Spidertracks. My kid? She can interpret the track info very well. I've been scolded a few times for scud running. She can see the picking and dodging on the track. :)

Rachel left Spidertracks several years ago but this video is still a pretty good primer on the system.
 
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luvflyin said:
Why Flight Following on the longer flights?
Click to expand...

For longer VFR stuff, for the extra set of eyes, for airspace and also because it something to do on a longer leg, plus if I need to pull a IFR they it’s easier.
 
EdFred said:
Close. I fly VFR (no flight plans) and IFR, but only file if IFR. :D
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what I meant as well. If I am VFR, I will use flight following but don't bother filing.
 
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