whats your threshold on using flight following?

How far must you go to bother using flight following?

  • any distance

    Votes: 26 46.4%

  • 10nm

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 20nm

    Votes: 6 10.7%

  • 30nm

    Votes: 24 42.9%
  • Total voters
    56
Your poll doesn't go far enough. 30 nm is 11 minutes for me. I use FF for trips of 150+ nm or near complex airspace.
 
MachFly said:
It depends on which area I'll be flying though. If it's around Arizona then ~100nm, if I'm flying though LA or NY then ASAP regardless of where I'm going.
Click to expand...
That sums it up for me. Since I live near NYC, any trip of about 100 miles or more calls for Flight Following. Shorter than that and it just adds to the workload unnecessarily since I think of the first 15 minutes as departure-time with those tasks and the last 15 minutes as approach-time with those tasks.

Of course, if I'm wanting to cross NYC airspace, I call for flight following as soon as I am oncourse even if not at my intended altitude.
 
Another "it depends". If I don't file an instrument flight plan I'll pick up flight following if traffic is busy. I figure ATC would rather be talking to me than not. If it's a local breakfast run I'll crank up the tunes and just monitor ATC. It sometimes gets busy being so close to Philly and Dover AFB.
 
Last edited:
spiderweb said:
I never use it. I am either flying very locally VFR, or if I am going somewhere further than 50 miles, I am IFR.

Too much airspace and FRZ crap to deal with around here.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much is how I do it as well.:D
 
When I fly the Chicago Skyline or doing the Eisenhower Transition (you have a corridor of about 500' to 1000' AGL and 1nm wide) I use flight following because it is a very very congested area. This can be for flights as short as a 10 to 20nm loop, but I'd get FF regardless of the distance.

At the same time, flying from KUGN to KJOT via KUGN -> C81 -> 3CK -> KDPA -> KJOT is a straight line distance of about 60nm and thus cross-country, and I rarely grab vfr ff on that route.
 
I didn't vote because it really depends on any one or more of the items from the list below.

  • My mission, (I've used ff in the local training area when practicing maneuvers)
  • Who's in my plane, (possible distractions)
  • Area ops (busy airspace; class C, B; near parachuting, gliding ops & places with possible stadium & other non-listed TFRs)
  • if I'm flying to, from or near a drome where exists an unusual amount of activity--ex., an untowered airport with a fly-in or fly-out for the day
  • Distance (can be short or long distance)
  • Area familiarity. Tend not to use it in areas of great familiar; always use ff in unfamiliar territority
  • Always use ff on long xc's--about 1.5 hr from home drome
  • Visibility and other Wx considerations
  • Altitude. Close to, at or above double digit altitudes in cruise on a xc, I tend to use ff

If I'm flying alone and within an hour or so of the home drome and not going through or near nearby Class B with CAVU and have plenty of airport or off field landing opportunities in areas I'm very familiar with--then, I fly without ff, but I will be monitoring ARTCC or the nearby Delta. My radio is never turned down, it's always listening to somebody who can 'see' or assist me or simply provide some indication of the arial activity around me.
 
I also carry a 406 PLB and file VFR flight plans. I find FF annoying. They often think they are "controlling" you when all they are supposed to be doing is providing advisories. I do not need to be controlled when I am flying well off airways and B/C/D airspace. I also enjoy the radio silence.

Don't get me wrong, I am not calling controllers annoying. I am saying that controllers tend to control and, for me, the result of that tendency is annoying when I am CAVU at 8500 feet and not bothering anyone. That specific example relates to a time I was flying with my son in the CTLS from KTMB to KORL, and in the middle of nowhere, was letting him get a feel for the controls by pretty much doing whatever he wanted to do. The FF controller got bent a bit because we deviated 300 feet from our stated cruising altitude of 8500 feet. Guess I should have asked for a block of altitude. LOL.

Of course, once I enter a Mode C veil, I contact ATC. Did that in the Luscombe not so long ago on a flight from 04FA to KCLW. Once I told Tampa TRACON I was Mode C exempt, they said they could do nothing for me without a transponder, told me to remain clear of Class Bravo, and have a nice day. I know I could have pushed it and had them identify and track me but I would still have to remained clear of Bravo without a prior waiver so was happy to just continue up the coast.
 
Last edited:
I voted 30 miles+ but it really depends on my mission. Local sightseeing I won't get it. Going somewhere, I might pick it up. This past weekend I got FF on the way to lunch but decided not to on the way back. It really depends on my mood and if I feel like talking to my passengers with or without the radio chatter in our ears.

NYC/PVD/BOS airspace is pretty busy during the summer so it's a good idea to pick it up if you can.
 
Last edited:
ChrisK said:
I find it interesting that you have that perspective. I always thought ATC would rather know about me and be able to talk to me than otherwise, but I see what you are saying.
Click to expand...

Turn your transponder on and mode C and let their radar tell them where you're at. No radio communication necessary.


I never used FF except when going through or right next to/over someone's busy airspace just to be polite and not mess things up for them. Otherwise I'm quite capable of flying unlimited range anywhere without having someone hold my hand like a 3 year old crossing the street.
 
I chose 30NM. Most of my flying is doing pattern work or flying the pipeline construction over my place. If I do anything else I do FF, because I am close to getting my avionics straightened out so I can start back up on my instrument training. My instructor said to get flight following alot to get the radio practice.

When I go to the DFW area from here in the boonies, I use it, as he said, to get the radio practice. Occasionally they even bore me through the Bravo so I get a short cut.
 
fgcason said:
Turn your transponder on and mode C and let their radar tell them where you're at. No radio communication necessary.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah I get that. I just always assumed ATC wants more participating traffic so they have the option of telling me to gtfo.
 
fgcason said:
Turn your transponder on and mode C and let their radar tell them where you're at. No radio communication necessary.
Click to expand...

Why not just assume that the other pilot will spot you and fly with no transponder and your head down and locked?
 
Depends ... typically only talk to ATC when my chosen route of flight dictates it.
 
Geico266 said:
I carry a PLB and rarely use flight following. I'm just wasting their time unless the weather is bad, or flying at night.
Click to expand...

You're not wasting their time, you're adding to their traffic count...which might have an impact on their paychecks.

Bob Gardner
 
MachFly said:
Why not just assume that the other pilot will spot you and fly with no transponder and your head down and locked?
Click to expand...

Seriously? Seriously?

Why not get an onboard fighter radar so you can see every little plane in the sky for miles and miles?

Just because you're not talking to ATC doesn't mean you're going to die or anything. Just means you're not talking to anyone and taking care of yourself. It's not that difficult.
 
Fly a plane with TCAS and you'll realize how much traffic we all miss. Much of it closer than we would like without seeing them. If you don't have it then FF is a free alternative. Also, I am assuming all the cross country guys talking to nobody have XM to update their altimeters, that is if they care.
 
The answer to this question is much more complicated than it seems and does not have a one answer fits all.
First of all, we don't all fly in the same type of airspace, some POA members probably never see another plane
while flying around places like Nebraska, Montana, Arizona or New Mexico.
Then there's are those of us that fly in high density locations like DCA, LAX, MIA-MCO-DAB and NYC where
communicating with ATC is almost an absolute must in order to widen the ever shrinking safety margin.
Distance has very little to do with Flight Following as much as density of traffic, Class Bravo corridors, potential TFR's and HOT MOA's.
 
Last edited:
fgcason said:
Seriously? Seriously?

Why not get an onboard fighter radar so you can see every little plane in the sky for miles and miles?

Just because you're not talking to ATC doesn't mean you're going to die or anything. Just means you're not talking to anyone and taking care of yourself. It's not that difficult.
Click to expand...

So you saying that you simply turn on your transponder and hope they spot your signal and direct other aircraft away from you. In other words you are completely trusting ATC. So what if the other guy is doing the same thing?
Then ATC will be looking at their radar scope and watch the two dots converging and become one and then disappear, if they are not talking to you they can't help you.

I personally like to be in control of whether or not I survive myself, not give someone else the job.

If you don't want to talk on the radio because its a pain in the @$$ or something, that's fine. But don't simply turn on your transponder and expect everyone to magically get out of your way.
 
MachFly said:
But don't simply turn on your transponder and expect everyone to magically get out of your way.
Click to expand...

Good grief. Nevermind. I guess I'm stupid. But somehow I and every pilot I've ever known magically managed to not get run into by someone else in flight just because we didn't get FF before engine start. It must be some kind of pure random coincidence since no atc communication = unconditional midair.
 
fgcason said:
Good grief. Nevermind. I guess I'm stupid. But somehow I and every pilot I've ever known magically managed to not get run into by someone else in flight just because we didn't get FF before engine start. It must be some kind of pure random coincidence since no atc communication = unconditional midair.
Click to expand...

I never said that you need flight following, you don't, eyes work fine. My point is having your transponder on and expecting ATC to get everyone out of your way is not going to happen.
 
MachFly said:
If you don't want to talk on the radio because its a pain in the @$$ or something, that's fine. But don't simply turn on your transponder and expect everyone to magically get out of your way.
Click to expand...

I seriously doubt anyone that flies without FF thinks that. ATC, unless I am mistaken, will steer IFR traffic away from a radar return that is not talking to them. ATC will advise VFR traffic with FF of the return but there is no guarantee of that and VFR traffic with FF has the same responsibility as VFR without FF - see and avoid - as does the IFR pilot in VMC.

And although I avoid using it, there is no doubt that FF adds a factor of safety but, for me, I am safe enough in good visibility without it.

It is kinda like a hardhat on a construction site. No doubt it adds a factor of safety, and insurance, OSHA, and/or contractual requirements usually mandate them on larger sites. However, I have been on many sites where a hardhat was required but the risk was no more than walking in the park. I have also been on sites with plenty of opportunity to hit your head on something or be hit but "see and avoid" works pretty well there, also. Still, I would be happy to wear the hat in the latter but not in the former.

It is not about distance, it is about risk. About the only time I get FF is flying up South Florida's coast below Miami Bravo. A busy place and not a lot of altitude. So I would get FF on a 30 mile hop but not on a 200 mile trip. So the poll is not applicable to me and I did not vote.
 
Last edited:
alfadog said:
I seriously doubt anyone that flies without FF thinks that. ATC, unless I am mistaken, will steer IFR traffic away from a radar return that is not talking to them.
Click to expand...

You're mistaken. ATC will issue a traffic advisory and possibly suggest a heading for avoidance, the course of action is left to the pilot. That assumes the controller is going by the book, of course.

ATC will advise VFR traffic with FF of the return but there is no guarantee of that and VFR traffic with FF has the same responsibility as VFR without FF - see and avoid - as does the IFR pilot in VMC.
Click to expand...

There's also no guarantee that ATC will advise IFR traffic of the return.
 
Alexb2000 said:
Fly a plane with TCAS and you'll realize how much traffic we all miss. Much of it closer than we would like without seeing them. If you don't have it then FF is a free alternative. Also, I am assuming all the cross country guys talking to nobody have XM to update their altimeters, that is if they care.
Click to expand...

Umm ... there ARE other ways to do this. Even without talking to anybody.
 
Alexb2000 said:
OK I'll bite, if you have the radios off to enjoy the peace and quiet, how else do you get the altimeter besides XM?
Click to expand...

You didn't say anything about the radios, only flight following. :rolleyes:
 
Every 50 miles or so, I will dial in a local AWOS, let it interrupt my music for 15-20 seconds, adjust the altimeter and go back to monitoring 121.5.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top