Flight following

[TripleZ]

Lately I've been filing with Foreflight and opening on the ground just prior to departure. It only takes a minute at start-up or run-up and if you're in a controlled area but haven't moved yet, do it early before calling Ground or monitor both frequencies in case Ground calls while you're stopped (rare). If/when you buy a handheld, it's a good way to check it out before engine start.

The only risk is to ingrain in your head if you do a run-up and scrub the flight, to call back and close it after cussing at the airplane and your bad luck and putting it away in the hangar.

I got in the habit of filing on ForeFlight, but then changed and went back to the phone. With FF, I would route, file, electronic brief......... but with the phone briefer I always double check I didn't miss something.

Same reason I always get a standard briefing, even if I've checked the weather, Notams, etc. What's another couple minutes.

 

[ChrisK]

I had this debate before, they said they send out the Air Force!

Nah. They'd send me

 

[Jeanie]

Maybe, but there's no FAR specifically prohibiting the use closed runway.



~~~~~~~. That surprises me somehow. Thanks for the info.

 

[Jeanie]

In regards to closing my flight plans, I made it part of the SOP for me that I couldn't get out of the plane unless I closed my flight plan. Never forgot.

 

[kimberlyanne546]

Nah. They'd send me

They would send you?

 

[ChrisK]

Ok fine they wouldn't send me PERSONALLY. I'm saying Civil Air Patrol is often called in to ramp check for overdue / missing aircraft. That's kind of their shtick!

 

[sferguson524]

Or you can forget to close it and meet the Sheriff when he has to drive out to the airport to see if you're dead.

I had this happen to me once. Right after i got my PPL, a girlfriend and I got weathered out of landing at the airport we left from, and landed at anohter airport. We were hanging out waiting for an instructor to fly us back and shoot the ILS, and a cop car pulled up, and said i'm looking for the pilot of this airplane. I sheepishly said that's me, and called FSS and closed my flight plan.