Initial call up FF or deporting C or B airport

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skippy101

Filing Flight Plan
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Jeff
Hello I was told along time ago when requesting FF from a TRACON and you plan to fly through ARRTC airspace. To request FF with a "center hand off" this way you get a Center squak code instead of a TRACON code. and then avoiding a reassigned code while enroute.

any advise? correct?

Jeff
 
Give your destination and they'll figure out what is needed and what they can do. Of course that's the perspective of a guy who doesn't care about entering a new code...and sometimes you don't get the handoff to center just cause you want it. Radar problems or traffic workload can cause a denial.
 
Like Clark said, if you request FF they'll assign you a code based on your destination. That is if they have time and your altitude will be good for the next sector. You could be approaching their boundary and they don't have time to type you in so they'll just terminate and "for further flight following, contact...."

Doesn't have to be an ARTCC either. The facility local codes won't work with an adjacent TRACON interfacilty hand off.
 
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I'm curious. Echoing Clark's subtly embedded comment, why do you care? Or is this just an academic question for the learning value?
 
I've heard pilots that are passing through our class c get offered a transponder code and just tell the controller that they are just checking in and passing through to X. Controller tells them to keep their code. Doesn't sound like a big deal.


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I'll just use whatever code they give me and change whenever they ask. When I get on FF or start talking to them will simply be determined by when it's a good time. (light workload moment)
 
skippy101 said:
To request FF with a "center hand off" this way you get a Center squak code instead of a TRACON code.
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When you call up for FF through a TRACON, they'll punch in your information and assign a code that's most appropriate. As you progress toward the destination, they'll simply hand you off as you traverse each sector of airspace. No need to ask for a 'center hand off' specific code, as that's already taken into consideration upon your request for FF.
 
Yes Depart not deport. Got it. ha ha. this is Arizona... So you never know.....
 
skippy101 said:
Hello I was told along time ago when requesting FF from a TRACON and you plan to fly through ARRTC airspace. To request FF with a "center hand off" this way you get a Center squak code instead of a TRACON code. and then avoiding a reassigned code while enroute.

any advise? correct?

Jeff
Click to expand...

My experience in the Houston Class B.. When departing from a nontowered field and "airfiling" as a popup I got a local code only, and had to make a separate call to Center. When departing a towered field, I made my request for FF from clearance delivery/ground and I'd be issued a center code and handed off all the way.
 
Ryanb said:
When you call up for FF through a TRACON, they'll punch in your information and assign a code that's most appropriate. As you progress toward the destination, they'll simply hand you off as you traverse each sector of airspace. No need to ask for a 'center hand off' specific code, as that's already taken into consideration upon your request for FF.
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Thats not been my experience. This is extra work for them, and busy approach controllers dont always have the time for this. If you were given a "local" code (which is also shared, recycled as a local code at other approaches across the nation) in the air, in my experience that code isn't going to be used on a handoff. I get terminated, and have to popup with center and get a new code and get identified. If you get a code from CD/ground on the ground before launch, if they've input your FF through to destination you get a center code and get handed off..
 
With only 4096 codes available...

And large numbers of those reserved for various things (the 44XX blocks are quite interesting...)...

And almost 80,000 aircraft over CONUS participating in radar service daily...

... you're probably going to have to change codes once in a while.

They'll either figure it out from your destination, or they'll assign whatever they need. Just punch it in and don't worry about it.
 
Doggtyred said:
Thats not been my experience. This is extra work for them, and busy approach controllers dont always have the time for this. If you were given a "local" code (which is also shared, recycled as a local code at other approaches across the nation) in the air, in my experience that code isn't going to be used on a handoff. I get terminated, and have to popup with center and get a new code and get identified. If you get a code from CD/ground on the ground before launch, if they've input your FF through to destination you get a center code and get handed off..
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Well, FF is workload permitting. Your experience isn't the same as mine though. I've gotten FF on XCs from TRACONs probably 90 % of the time. If approach has time to provide the service, then their flight data dude has time to type you in the system. Takes them all of 2 minutes to do. If you call well within their airspace, there's really no excuse for not putting you in the system.
 
Doggtyred said:
If you were given a "local" code (which is also shared, recycled as a local code at other approaches across the nation) in the air, in my experience that code isn't going to be used on a handoff. I get terminated, and have to popup with center and get a new code and get identified. If you get a code from CD/ground on the ground before launch, if they've input your FF through to destination you get a center code and get handed off..
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That depends though, If I'm only hopping between airports within the Charlie airspace, than TRACON will issue a local code, (02**) no handoffs because I'm not leaving their airspace. What I was referring to in the post you quoted, was for a flight that terminates outside of the TRACONs airspace who issued the original code. In that case they put you 'into the system' (unsure of proper terminology) and issue a code that is passed along through each sector.
 
When I was flying my "new" Ercoupe home from Dallas area (KTKI) a couple of weeks ago, I got my code from Ground at KTKI, and was able to keep the same code for the two hour flight home through DFW Class Bravo, Dallas Approach, Waco, and Houston Approach. Made life a little easier for this rusty pilot who was on his first cross country in 40 years.
 
Ryanb said:
That depends though, If I'm only hopping between airports within the Charlie airspace, than TRACON will issue a local code, (02**) no handoffs because I'm not leaving their airspace. What I was referring to in the post you quoted, was for a flight that terminates outside of the TRACONs airspace who issued the original code. In that case they put you 'into the system' (unsure of proper terminology) and issue a code that is passed along through each sector.
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With FF being a service provided "when able", they really don't *have* to put you into the system and sometimes don't.

They may decide they have time to handle you to the edge of their airspace and will accept you, and put you on a local code, but are fully planning to dump you at the edge because they don't have time to put you in, or coordinate the handoff, or they know the Center isn't being cooperative today, or whatever.

Or maybe they intended to put you in and issue you a new code and then five other aircraft called up so it isn't going to get done before you hit the edge.

It's fine, really. You can't really tell why.

You just get "radar service terminated" and start over. Call up the next folks and see what they can do. No big deal. It's FF.

The nearly guaranteed way not to have to change a squawk very often, is to earn the Instrument rating and file.

Then you're truly in the system and they're probably going to know you're coming. ;)

FF, there's no guarantees.
 
skippy101 said:
Hello I was told along time ago when requesting FF from a TRACON and you plan to fly through ARRTC airspace. To request FF with a "center hand off" this way you get a Center squak code instead of a TRACON code. and then avoiding a reassigned code while enroute.

any advise? correct?

Jeff
Click to expand...
You'll usually always get a TRACON code to start. If they have time, you may be switched to an ARTCC code. In locations where there are known radar or radio coverage problems at your cruise altitude, you will not be sent to the next facility (regardless of whether it's a TRACON or center) because the service will not be available.

My recommendation is not to bother the controllers with requests for a NAS code unless the airspace is dead. If they give it to you, great. If not, call the center when you get terminated. The gaps in flight following should be expected.
 
Ryanb said:
That depends though, If I'm only hopping between airports within the Charlie airspace, than TRACON will issue a local code, (02**) no handoffs because I'm not leaving their airspace. What I was referring to in the post you quoted, was for a flight that terminates outside of the TRACONs airspace who issued the original code. In that case they put you 'into the system' (unsure of proper terminology) and issue a code that is passed along through each sector.
Click to expand...

I understand WHAT you are saying approach can do. My experience in the Houston Terminal Airspace is that the approach controllers would NOT do that, even when requested explicitly. They gave you a local code and cut you loose when you left the terminal area. The only way I got center codes was to depart from a towered field, and have the code obtained and issued by clearance delivery.
 
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