VFR Flight Following, multi-destination questions

Trogdor

Trogdor

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Trogdor
Do you have to request VFR Flight Following per destination or can you ask for it once but go to multiple airports with the same squawk? Basically set it and forget it provided I am still within radar contact.

So for instance, if I fly from KTTN -> KRDG -> KAVP and back (all full stop/taxi-backs), do I have to request flight following from Allentown (KABE) three times or only once since KABE services the whole area?

I think the answer is that I only request it once from KABE approach, get a squawk, and then just check-in with KABE approach after each departure unless I explicitly ask for termination or fly out of their area, right?

Thanks!
 
If you're on the ground for any length of time (lunch, refueling etc.) you'll get a new squawk. What you are describing you won't. Even if you leave their area you won't necessarily get a new squawk. I've done VFR FF for 500+ miles across 3 different centers and 8 different TRACONS on the same squawk.
 
Agree with @EdFred. Just tell ATC what you’re doing. “Request FF, going to do full stop taxi back’s at xxx, yyy, zzz, and want FF between each”. They will probably keep you on the same code and have you ident on each departure to re-radar identify you. There’s a chance they could send you to 1200 and give you a new one each time but I never would. More needless work for me.
 
If you are gonna land and shut down...assume cancel and pick up FF again in air.

If you are going a T&G or quick taxi back for departure just tell ATC your intentions and ask if they want you to cancel or keep squawk. Each controller may be different but their default will be to terminate unless you communicate.

They are human, just ask in plain 'ol english.
 
Shawn said:
If you are gonna land and shut down...assume cancel and pick up FF again in air.

If you are going a T&G or quick taxi back for departure just tell ATC your intentions and ask if they want you to cancel or keep squawk. Each controller may be different but their default will be to terminate unless you communicate.

They are human, just ask in plain 'ol english.
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I've gone in and picked up pax/safety pilot (different occasions) where I've been under the C shelf and said, "I'll be back up in about 10, do you want to keep me on this squawk?" I've gotten a "yes," and I've gotten a "we'll get you a new one"

if you don't ask you don't get.
(OK, sometimes you do if you don't ask)
 
Trogdor said:
I think the answer is that I only request it once from KABE approach, get a squawk, and then just check-in with KABE approach after each departure unless I explicitly ask for termination or fly out of their area, right?
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I think the answer is the opposite.

ATC is going to typically terminate flight following with a "radar services terminated; squawk VFR" just about the time they hand you off to a Tower or tell you to change to advisory frequency at a nontowered airport. If you want to keep it for multiple ask them. I would time my request so it is low workload for both of us. Close enough that I am probably talking to the last approach controller (but don't worry about being too early; they will just tell you to make the request to the next controller) but well before the time I would expect to be let go.
 
I have done this before and like other say, usually they will let you keep the code. I seem to remember them asking how my approach will terminate and if I say T/Gs or anything other than a full stop they will just say keep the code and call when back in the air. Then after doing T/Gs or taxi-backs, once off CTAF or tower freq just call back.
 
It good practice to call them up each time. That said, you can talk to them, they'll let you know if you can keep the code. I've had flight where when I get to a new sector they give me a new squawk.
 
Got it. So just inform them of my intentions and go from there. Thank you all!
 
Trogdor said:
Do you have to request VFR Flight Following per destination or can you ask for it once but go to multiple airports with the same squawk? Basically set it and forget it provided I am still within radar contact.

So for instance, if I fly from KTTN -> KRDG -> KAVP and back (all full stop/taxi-backs), do I have to request flight following from Allentown (KABE) three times or only once since KABE services the whole area?

I think the answer is that I only request it once from KABE approach, get a squawk, and then just check-in with KABE approach after each departure unless I explicitly ask for termination or fly out of their area, right?

Thanks!
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probably a discussion with your flight instructor about this. Flight following and flight plans are an important part of training he should be covering.
 
Does it matter if there are multiple airspaces involved. In the OP's example KTTN is in Philadelphia Approach airspace, in about 20 nm the airspace changes to Reading Approach for the landing at KRDG, then it switches to Allentown Approach, and, finally, about half way between KABE and KAVP it transitions to Wilkes-Barre Scranton Terminal Radar.
 
Now that we know it can be done, I have a question: Why?

Short of maybe doing a touch and go and continuing on immediately, what's the big deal with terminating flight following at each destination and taking the extra 12 seconds to set it up again for the next leg?
 
bkspero said:
Does it matter if there are multiple airspaces involved. In the OP's example KTTN is in Philadelphia Approach airspace, in about 20 nm the airspace changes to Reading Approach for the landing at KRDG, then it switches to Allentown Approach, and, finally, about half way between KABE and KAVP it transitions to Wilkes-Barre Scranton Terminal Radar.
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No. You are passed on between facilities enroute. The last facility you speak to before landings at each destination is the same facility you will speak to when you take off again. IOW, to use your example, you are already talking to Reading and you are in their system before you land at RDG. Philly is no longer involved and it as though they never were.
 
bkspero said:
Does it matter if there are multiple airspaces involved. In the OP's example KTTN is in Philadelphia Approach airspace, in about 20 nm the airspace changes to Reading Approach for the landing at KRDG, then it switches to Allentown Approach, and, finally, about half way between KABE and KAVP it transitions to Wilkes-Barre Scranton Terminal Radar.
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Nah, doesn't matter. I flew from Manassas (HEF) to an airport just east of Scranton (AVP). Had a code to start with since I fly out of DC SFRA. As soon as in contact with Potomac, I asked for FF and the shortcut through the B east of Dulles... which I got. Got handed off to another controller still with Potomac, then to I think Harrisburg, then Reading, then Allentown and Scranton... something like that... anyway, point is, that route gets you handed off a bunch. Same code and great IFR practice in terms of managing radios.
 
bkspero said:
Does it matter if there are multiple airspaces involved. In the OP's example KTTN is in Philadelphia Approach airspace, in about 20 nm the airspace changes to Reading Approach for the landing at KRDG, then it switches to Allentown Approach, and, finally, about half way between KABE and KAVP it transitions to Wilkes-Barre Scranton Terminal Radar.
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It depends on if they have you on a local code or NAS code. Local code is useless to facilities outside of the facility that issued it. The NAS code will force a tag in suspense to automatically tag up and allow automated handoffs with other facilities.

Technically, every time an aircraft gets terminated, the controller is required to tell the aircraft to squawk VFR. Don’t be surprised if you don’t get to keep your code in your example. Like @midlifeflyer said, I don’t see the big deal in the few seconds it takes to type in a new code each time.
 
Velocity173 said:
It depends on if they have you on a local code or NAS code. Local code is useless to facilities outside of the facility that issued it. The NAS code will force a tag in suspense to automatically tag up and allow automated handoffs with other facilities.

Technically, every time an aircraft gets terminated, the controller is required to tell the aircraft to squawk VFR. Don’t be surprised if you don’t get to keep your code in your example. Like @midlifeflyer said, I don’t see the big deal in the few seconds it takes to type in a new code each time.
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When I’m vfr doing practice approaches they never switch me to 1200 when they switch me to a tower or Ctaf around here anyway.
 
Salty said:
When I’m vfr doing practice approaches they never switch me to 1200 when they switch me to a tower or Ctaf around here anyway.
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Yeah and occasionally I did the same thing when I did ATC. Also, just because you’re switched to tower for a VFR doesn’t necessarily mean radar services are terminated either. In that case, keeping the code would be necessary. The book however, unless a specific LOA exists, is quite clear on the issue.

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I live in the Detroit area. Around here they will tell you "radar service terminated, maintain on this squawk till on the ground, frequency change approved". I believe it has something to do with how close we are to the Canadian border? Any way they don't want you going back to 1200 until you land.
 
AlphaMike said:
I live in the Detroit area. Around here they will tell you "radar service terminated, maintain on this squawk till on the ground, frequency change approved". I believe it has something to do with how close we are to the Canadian border? Any way they don't want you going back to 1200 until you land.
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And Great Lakes Approach (formerly MKG, GRR, LAN, AZO, MBS) will cut you loose with a terminated/squawk VFR as soon as you are at (or close to) your final destination if it's untowered. I'll often get the squawk vfr while still in class C airspace.
 
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EdFred said:
And Great Lakes Approach (formerly MKG, GRR, LAN, AZO, MBS will cut you loose with a terminated/squawk VFR as soon as you are at (or close to) your final destination if it's untowered. I'll often get the squawk vfr while still in class C airspace.
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Except JXN they don't have radar so its "radar services terminated, squawk VFR contact tower at 128.47 " this always gives me a little pause, especially when its IFR and I'm on an approach.
 
Odd, I have not gotten than at JXN. I've kept my squawk to the ground, and also when shooting approach. Controller preference perhaps?
 
I was transiting the Boston Bravo vfr a few weeks ago, the controller told me to change over to the Nashua tower. I asked him if he wanted me to squawk VFR, he replied, in what I took to be a sarcastic voice, "I don't care". So one less thing for me to do, I just called up the tower, did a full stop, taxi back. Reconfigured, took off, got a call from the Nashua tower asking if I was squawking VFR? Ooops.
 
AlphaMike said:
Except JXN they don't have radar so its "radar services terminated, squawk VFR contact tower at 128.47 " this always gives me a little pause, especially when its IFR and I'm on an approach.
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ATC can’t cancel your IFR flight plan and tell you to squawk VFR. Having radar or not having radar has nothing to do with it. You should be getting “radar services terminated, contact Jackson Tower 128.475.”
 
EdFred said:
Odd, I have not gotten than at JXN. I've kept my squawk to the ground, and also when shooting approach. Controller preference perhaps?
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Yah, I don't know? I just flew in there a couple weeks ago to get ice cream at the Parlor.. if you like ice cream I recommend it!
 
AlphaMike said:
Except JXN they don't have radar so its "radar services terminated, squawk VFR contact tower at 128.47 " this always gives me a little pause, especially when its IFR and I'm on an approach.
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That ain’t good. Hope you questioned that immediately.
 
Velocity173 said:
ATC can’t cancel your IFR flight plan and tell you to squawk VFR. Having radar or not having radar has nothing to do with it. You should be getting “radar services terminated, contact Jackson Tower 128.475.”
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Yup. I’m sure the controller just forget he was IFR. And if I read @AlphaMike ’s post correctly “...especially when its IFR...” that the field was IFR.
 
AlphaMike said:
Yah, I don't know? I just flew in there a couple weeks ago to get ice cream at the Parlor.. if you like ice cream I recommend it!
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Wait. Where is this ice cream of which you speak??!?!
 
luvflyin said:
That ain’t good. Hope you questioned that immediately.
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You know I definitely did in my head, but at the time I just complied. The controller probably just made a mistake, I don't know? If it ever happens again I'll defiantly question it!!
 
Salty said:
When I’m vfr doing practice approaches they never switch me to 1200 when they switch me to a tower or Ctaf around here anyway.
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I wouldn't expect to be switched on a series of practice approaches (until the last one, anyway). You are going back to them for other approaches, and they may very well be doing some level of sequencing, if not separation, even if they are saying "practice approach approved" as "opposed to "cleared for the approach." So it wouldn't make sense to me to end a code and get another one and end a code and get another one and...

At least I've never seen it done. So, you can add the Denver area, the Raleigh/Greensboro area, and New England to "around here anyway."
 
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