What is the best Flight Following practice for flying long cross county flights?

A

ahypnoz

Pre-takeoff checklist
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ahypnoz
What I have been doing. I call for Flight Following in the air to my finial cross country destination airport, I get a beacon code then after 2 to 3 hours, I cancel it (near a suitable airport for fuel) I fill her up, take off and I call again for flight following to my final destination airport.

Is there a way to ask the "center" to keep my code while I land and get fuel so that they do not have to type in all my stuff in again for my finial destination airport or should I just continue doing what I am doing?

Most times I do not know which half way point will be my fuel/bathroom break airport.

What do you do?
 
You could request it from center, probably depends on the individual controller and how busy they were whether they'd go along with your request. Or they may have a facility directive not allowing that.
 
Just tell them you're going to land for fuel and you'll be right back up. Sometimes still have you squawk VFR and you'll get a new code when you return. Sometimes they'll have you keep the same code in. Just ask
 
Because there are a finite number of codes, and many times more airplanes needing codes, sometimes you can keep the same code, sometimes not. Often when you move from one ATC sector to another, your code is already being used or assigned for immediate future use by another airplane, so the new sector must give you a new code.

There are only 8*8*8*8 codes, (4098) minus a few that are special. Like the 7xxx.
 
Why is keeping the code important? It's not like they are hard to get. Nor is it hard to change destination at a moment's notice.
 
Technically they're required to have you squawk VFR upon termination. However, some facilities will let you keep. There's rarely a one size fits all when it comes to ATC practices.
 
I would be inclined to start over, with FF. There are times when I just want some peace & quiet, may not want to talk to anyone, it all depends on where I am & what I'm doing, WX, and the rest.

If not talking I often dial up the likely ATC freq, just in case.
 
When you cancel with center just ask them if you can keep the code. Worst case is they say no and you'll just pick up a new code with them once you get back in the air.
 
'Is this a good frequency to get VFR advisories after my fuel stop?'

Is it too much work to dial in a new code or why do you want to keep the old one?
 
murphey said:
There are only 8*8*8*8 codes, (4098) minus a few that are special. Like the 7xxx.
Click to expand...

Not as simple as that. Some code blocks are reserved for local approach facilities to use, others go through the national airspace system computers. The reserved blocks can be issued by multiple facilities at the same time as they are far away from each other to not interfere.
 
Besides, you might want to hang out at the fuel stop for some reason.

In the old days, the check haulers would keep an IFR flight plan open during a fuel stop. But those fuel stops were like a Nascar stop. The fuel crew could over-top off a LearJet in 5 minutes, toss a couple of New York steaks in the cabin, and the jet would be off climbing 9,000 fpm back to the route.

ATC and the pilots were radio friends, every night, over and over.
 
kgruber said:
ATC and the pilots were radio friends, every night, over and over.
Click to expand...

Yup there were some great conversations after midnight! But I never got a French fry let alone a NY strip. Of course I hailed checks in a lowly C172...
 
weilke said:
'Is this a good frequency to get VFR advisories after my fuel stop?'

Is it too much work to dial in a new code or why do you want to keep the old one?
Click to expand...

I think
He's trying to reduce workload on Atc
 
For VFR flights ATC will hand you off automatically on cross country links. So if you land at an uncontrolled you need to call on the last frequency you were given after takeoff so they can pick you back up again. And at controlled airports they will give you departure frequency as normal. Each center and TRACON may/may not change your transponder code as they require.

Controllers may also update your altimeter as you pass over their areas. They usually want that read back to them as an acknowledgment.
 
Correct,

I am just trying to reduce the work load on ATC
(I do not mind calling back up and putting in a new code)

Whatever I can do to decrease their workload
the better in my opinion, I really value their time and services.
 
ahypnoz said:
Correct,

I am just trying to reduce the work load on ATC
(I do not mind calling back up and putting in a new code)

Whatever I can do to decrease their workload
the better in my opinion, I really value their time and services.
Click to expand...

prob less of a workload to enter it new - than keep track of it - they'll do it for jump planes but they have a known cycle rate -

you might decide to stay, might have a mechanical, can't start your motor - all sorts of reasons to not continue a flight - they enter this info their entire shift - it takes no time at all - and if you have ADS-B they can prob just click the target, pull up your tail number then all they need to do is enter destination -
 
Just get a new code, think you're looking for a solution in search of a problem.
 
Last edited:
murphey said:
There are only 8*8*8*8 codes, (4098) minus a few that are special. Like the 7xxx.
Click to expand...

8x8x8x8=4096, but far less than that are available to any ATC facility. Codes assigned by the ARTCC Flight Data Processing computer come from a dozen or so code blocks of two types, internal and external. An internal code is one where the flight remains within the airspace of the originating ARTCC, including terminal facilities that interface with that center. An internal code is used where the flight will exit the originating ARTCC.
 
ahypnoz said:
Correct,

I am just trying to reduce the work load on ATC
(I do not mind calling back up and putting in a new code)

Whatever I can do to decrease their workload
the better in my opinion, I really value their time and services.
Click to expand...
How do you reduce workload by giving them something nonstandard to do?

Counterproductive.
 
ahypnoz said:
Correct,

I am just trying to reduce the work load on ATC
(I do not mind calling back up and putting in a new code)

Whatever I can do to decrease their workload
the better in my opinion, I really value their time and services.
Click to expand...
Regarding FF - if ATC decides the workload is too muc, you'll be dumped back to 1200....thoughtful of you, but not your responsibility to worry about ATC workload.
 
ahypnoz said:
What I have been doing. I call for Flight Following in the air to my finial cross country destination airport, I get a beacon code then after 2 to 3 hours, I cancel it (near a suitable airport for fuel) I fill her up, take off and I call again for flight following to my final destination airport.

Is there a way to ask the "center" to keep my code while I land and get fuel so that they do not have to type in all my stuff in again for my finial destination airport or should I just continue doing what I am doing?

Most times I do not know which half way point will be my fuel/bathroom break airport.

What do you do?
Click to expand...
If already mentioned, sorry. I'm a little busy right now and bout to run down...cold beer only gets warmer.

Tell them it's a quick fuel stop and ask them to "suspend your track". Depending on their local functionality, that will work for large parts of the country. You tell me that, I click trk sus, you land, pop back off, my symbol floats along, you call me, still on your squawk, I click it, bam, there you are, ident, verify alt, back in business.
 
Radar Contact said:
If already mentioned, sorry. I'm a little busy right now and bout to run down...cold beer only gets warmer.

Tell them it's a quick fuel stop and ask them to "suspend your track". Depending on their local functionality, that will work for large parts of the country. You tell me that, I click trk sus, you land, pop back off, my symbol floats along, you call me, still on your squawk, I click it, bam, there you are, ident, verify alt, back in business.
Click to expand...
Thanks

That is what I was looking for
 
@Radar Contact describes it similarly to when you're out doing practicing approaches. Sometimes they'll tell you to keep the code and come back, sometimes they'll tell you to squawk VFR. They'll manage their workload. And they're usually very nice about it.
 
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