Who to call for Flight Following?

WDD

WDD

Final Approach
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Vintage Snazzy (so my adult children say)
When flying from KRYY here in Atlanta, I've always just called Atlanta Departure (121.0).

But if I fly out of KHXD (Hilton Head Island), do I call Savannah Departure (125.3) or Jacksonville Center (132.925)?

Also - the Sectional Chart for Hilton Head Island is the "Charlotte" chart, but the center for Hilton Head is "Jacksonville". Why wouldn't the Sectional Charts be aligned with the Centers?
 
Did you look in the d-CS?
SAVANNAH APP/DEP CON 125.3 (1100-0500Z)
JAX CETNER APP/DEP CON 132.925 (0500-1100Z)
 
WDD said:
But if I fly out of KHXD (Hilton Head Island), do I call Savannah Departure (125.3) or Jacksonville Center (132.925)?
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Savannah Approach... but you could also try to set up flight following on the ground with HXD Tower and they can coordinate with the appropriate facility.
 
It depend on the time of day. Look at the operating times in parenthesis in the chart supplement.
 
WDD said:
When flying from KRYY here in Atlanta, I've always just called Atlanta Departure (121.0).

But if I fly out of KHXD (Hilton Head Island), do I call Savannah Departure (125.3) or Jacksonville Center (132.925)?
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The frequencies are in the Chart Supplement. You would call Approach/Departure unless they're closed, in which case you would call Center.

WDD said:
Also - the Sectional Chart for Hilton Head Island is the "Charlotte" chart, but the center for Hilton Head is "Jacksonville". Why wouldn't the Sectional Charts be aligned with the Centers?
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Because they're not. There's no such thing as Charlotte Center.
 
Considering clearance delivery is listed as 121.1, I'd be calling that 1st before flight whenever tower is in operation, and that is listed above in the page from the AF/D.
 
wilkersk said:
It depend on the time of day. Look at the operating times in parenthesis in the chart supplement.
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Time of day determines who to call - that’s the answer. Thanks!
 
Just take an educated guess and call, tell them about where you are, they'll give you the frequency if your not in their area. Around here, especially with covid, they've been moving around controllers for sectors so you sometimes get a different frequency.
 
For some reason, this used to make me nervous when I first started flying after getting my private. But after I realized that ATC wasn't a bunch of horrible ogres waiting to yell at a new pilot if they made a mistake, it wasn't so bad. I usually just use the feq listed in garmin pilot (FF has the same thing) for the airport I'm departing. If there are more than one listed, I try the first one. Usually that gets it. If it's the wrong freq, the controller just says contact xxx.xx for FF. Switch over and away you go.
 
This is a question your instructor should have worked with you to solve. I seem to remember something about gathering information about the flight before taking it.
 
Some of you are assuming there is an LOA at the departure airport. He can always ask for flight following, but may be told to make his request when he's with departure.

Not all towered airports have the agreements in place as to where they'll insert the traffic.
 
Absent a designation on the charts (class B and C areas and TRSAs), my practice is to just lookup the info at the nearest airport with an approach. That will list the freq for the ATC facility that is handling the approach. It usually is the right facility to call, but if not, they'll let you know.
 
Hiltonhead tower will usually be more than happy to help work up the flight following request. Just call them when you get started up and let them know your intentions and need flight following. They will call Savannah and get the squawk code for you. Once you depart Hilton head they will kick you over to Savannah departure/approach and you won’t have to go through the motions in the air.
 
cgrab said:
This is a question your instructor should have worked with you to solve. I seem to remember something about gathering information about the flight before taking it.
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Perhaps. Here in ATL land you just called Atlanta and it was 50 50 if they would respond- meaning they had time to give you flight following.

This will be my first long x country / multi day trip. And to be fair - I should have remembered to look at the chart supplement - i just never have needed to do that for com frequencies before.
 
Just for some context, KRYY tower will not set up flight following. The ATIS usually says "for flight following contact Atlanta departure on 121.0" . If you did all your training there, you might think towers never do FF. Instructors can't cover every possible scenario. Yes, there are ways to get frequencies and they should be covered, but still it's a license to learn, not a certificate of perfection.

I used to be based at RYY and even the advice on the ATIS is not the best if you are going east to get around the Bravo. If you call 121.0 which is the Northwest approach and it took a while to get through (pre-COVID), you will get told to go to the Northeast approach 126.975. After having that happen a few times, I just waited til I was close and requested on 126.975. Never covered in instruction and never ran into it until after getting my private.
 
WDD said:
I should have remembered to look at the chart supplement - i just never have needed to do that for com frequencies before.
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That triggered a memory of something I used to do before an XC. I had an excel template that I could enter in things like ground, tower, and approach freqs (along with runways, pattern directions/altitudes). I had it formatted to print in kneeboard size. I would print it out for each airport of planned arrival/departure. Super handy before I started using garmin pilot/ForeFlight. Everything was there at-a-glance and never had to fumble for freqs.. handy on arrival, too. Weather and CTAF right there on the kneeboard ready to plug in.
 
Kbed gets codes for you, but many airports don't, I believe it requires a letter of understanding between the tower and ATC. Some airports, depending on which direction you go might be a different facility. The bottom line is just make the call and they will help you out. Oh, and sooner or later you'll run into a controller having a bad day, just ignore that crap and get what you need, don't give up with them, it's good practice for dealing with a little adversity and my experience is once they realize you aren't going away they calm down, this includes if you made a mistake. Don't let any controller discourage you from getting FF.
 
Hang 4 said:
Just for some context, KRYY tower will not set up flight following. The ATIS usually says "for flight following contact Atlanta departure on 121.0" . If you did all your training there, you might think towers never do FF. Instructors can't cover every possible scenario. Yes, there are ways to get frequencies and they should be covered, but still it's a license to learn, not a certificate of perfection.

I used to be based at RYY and even the advice on the ATIS is not the best if you are going east to get around the Bravo. If you call 121.0 which is the Northwest approach and it took a while to get through (pre-COVID), you will get told to go to the Northeast approach 126.975. After having that happen a few times, I just waited til I was close and requested on 126.975. Never covered in instruction and never ran into it until after getting my private.
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Ah - this is making a lot of sense now. Got to love this place - appreciate the real world advice to fill in the missing pieces.
 
Deelee said:
That triggered a memory of something I used to do before an XC. I had an excel template that I could enter in things like ground, tower, and approach freqs (along with runways, pattern directions/altitudes). I had it formatted to print in kneeboard size. I would print it out for each airport of planned arrival/departure. Super handy before I started using garmin pilot/ForeFlight. Everything was there at-a-glance and never had to fumble for freqs.. handy on arrival, too. Weather and CTAF right there on the kneeboard ready to plug in.
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I like that system. I took a "dinosaur" approach. I have an A 5 sized notebook 3 ring binder. I've made a page for each airport I'll be flying to / close by. Each page has a diagram of the airport, frequencies, pattern altitudes, and any RH patterns. I just move the pages around into the order that I'll be flying. I also have a page for each type of aircraft with the V Speeds, pattern speeds, etc. Nice to have handy to reference if needed. (Notebook also has my medical and license - might as well have it all in one).
 
^^ great idea. The more you have before you need it the better. Kind of like staying ahead of the airplane.

I honestly can't recommend an iPad and GP or FF enough, though. Even at the end of my private training, I started using one (with the help/knowledge of my CFI). Having all that info a tap away is amazingly helpful and reduces workload. Having said that, I still printed out my excel sheets for the first ten or so XCs. I was so afraid of having my iPad die on me. But with iPad, iPhone (also with GP loaded) and the 430 with freqs loaded.... that's triple redundancy.
 
For me it’s simplicity. I’m approaching AHN for example from KRYY Turn the page have the numbers I need. FF is running for other traffic and backing up the 430 navigation map. I don’t have to change anything
 
Who to call for FF departing from any towered airport?...Ground.

If they are unable simply confirm departure frequency with them and then you will know you are tuned into the right frequency as you depart.
 
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WDD said:
When flying from KRYY here in Atlanta, I've always just called Atlanta Departure (121.0).

But if I fly out of KHXD (Hilton Head Island), do I call Savannah Departure (125.3) or Jacksonville Center (132.925)?

Also - the Sectional Chart for Hilton Head Island is the "Charlotte" chart, but the center for Hilton Head is "Jacksonville". Why wouldn't the Sectional Charts be aligned with the Centers?
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Chart Suppliment is always a good start but like a lot of things, it’s not the entire picture.

HXD is actually split right over the airport by the approach boundaries of SAV and NBC. SAV only has a 5 mile semicircle to the NE from sfc-2,000. Anything (IFR/VFR) heading off HXD to the NE, tower will give you NBC approach. Their airspace is essentially the MOA outline you see on a sectional. After hours for those facilities, call JAX center.
 
Always ask on ground first. Most of the time, they can do it. If they can't, they'll tell you who to call. If they can do it, the radar facility will prefer that you get it on the ground.

Ravioli said:
Some of you are assuming there is an LOA at the departure airport. He can always ask for flight following, but may be told to make his request when he's with departure.

Not all towered airports have the agreements in place as to where they'll insert the traffic.
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And a few don't have the equipment, though that is rare.

Velocity173 said:
Chart Suppliment is always a good start but like a lot of things, it’s not the entire picture.

HXD is actually split right over the airport by the approach boundaries of SAV and NBC. SAV only has a 5 mile semicircle to the NE from sfc-2,000. Anything (IFR/VFR) heading off HXD to the NE, tower will give you NBC approach. Their airspace is essentially the MOA outline you see on a sectional. After hours for those facilities, call JAX center.
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Who works the approaches (when not after hours)? All SAV?
 
N1120A said:
Always ask on ground first. Most of the time, they can do it. If they can't, they'll tell you who to call. If they can do it, the radar facility will prefer that you get it on the ground.



And a few don't have the equipment, though that is rare.



Who works the approaches (when not after hours)? All SAV?
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Despite the SAV approach freq in the approach plate for IAPs to rwy 21, those are worked by NBC approach. Not sure if NBC still gets a “point out” with SAV for penetration or if they just coordinate the inbound with tower now. Everything coming into rwy 3 is handled by SAV approach.
 
I've never called for FF on the ground because it's never been an option for me. I'll give it a try at HXD.
 
"Why wouldn't the Sectional Charts be aligned with the Centers?" Because sectionals are used by VFR pilots and Air Route Traffic Control Centers are used by IFR pilots. There is some overlap, such as flight following, but thousands of pilots fly millions of VFR hours without ever talking to a Center controller.

Bob Gardner
 
Yep. Learned something new today. I just assumed centers were neatly split by sectional charts. But makes sense that they don’t have to be. Just another of those “why of course it is like this” that isn’t LOL.
 
Centers don't always control airspace down low, especially in the coastal megalopolis.
 
WDD said:
I've never called for FF on the ground because it's never been an option for me. I'll give it a try at HXD.
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Pretty much SOP for operating out of a towered field. Having said that, don’t be surprised if ground tells you to make your request with TRACON on departure.

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Both my old (RYY) and new (FIN) towered fields won’t provide FF on the ground.
 
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