What does VFR flight following provide?

VFR flight following is a request made by a pilot to receive services from an approach or departure control facility. Flight following is a VFR flight receiving radar-like services from a facility. This can include vectors, traffic calls, and weather information.

Can you get flight following without a transponder?

Sure, flight following service without a transponder is possible, if ATC has good primary radar. But good primary radar is most often found where transponders are required, the core airports in Class B or Class C airspace. ARSRs used by ARTCCs that have primary radar generally don’t show primary targets very well.

Does flight following clear you through Class D airspace?

Flight following by itself doesn’t clear you into airspace. If you were looking to transit a Class B for example, you’d need to be explicitly cleared in.

What does request flight following mean?

Flight Following is the provision of an ongoing surveillance information service (SIS) to VFR flights in Class E and G airspace. This service can provide improved situational awareness and assists pilots in avoiding collisions with other aircraft.

Who do I contact for VFR flight following?

You must call to open your flight plan through the FSS, then you can call Center and get flight following. Check out my article on how to open a VFR flight plan for more information.

How do I cancel a VFR flight following?

To cancel flight following your radio traffic will be in the form of an advisory phrased something like, “[your callsign], [airport you are flying into] weather and field in sight. Cancel flight following.” The standard reply format will be something like, “No traffic observed between you and the airport.

Is a transponder required for VFR flight?

In general, no, a transponder is not required equipment. The regulations regarding transponder and altitude-reporting requirements are found in 14 CFR 91.215. There is an exception to the regulations as they apply to the 30 nm Mode C “veil” around the Class B airports.

Do I need a transponder to fly?

These aircraft may conduct operations without a transponder or ADS-B Out when operating: Outside any Class B or Class C airspace area; and. Below the altitude of the ceiling of a Class B or Class C airspace area designated for an airport, or 10,000 feet MSL, whichever is lower.

Do you need permission to enter Class C airspace?

You don’t need clearance or any permission to enter class C, D, or E controlled airspace. No “permission” needed to enter, but two-way communication with your tail number must be established. That communication may well consist of “N1234, remain clear of the class D (or C), check back in 5 minutes.”

At what altitude should turbine aircraft enter a traffic pattern?

1,500 agl
Since most traffic patterns are between 800 and 1,000 feet above ground level (agl) — don’t forget that faster, heavier, or turbine aircraft typically fly the traffic pattern at 1,500 agl — this should put you around 2,000 feet agl or above.

What does squawk 7777 mean?

§ 7777: § military interception (US) (“Under no circumstances should a pilot of a civil aircraft operate the transponder on Code 7777. This code is reserved for military interceptor operations.”)

How do I activate my VFR flight?

Once you have filed your Flight Plan, you may either activate it on the ground by calling 1-800-WX-BRIEF, or in the air by communicating with a Flight Service Station over the radio. If you filed online through Flight Service, you will be emailed a link to open your flight plan using the Leidos EasyActivate service.

When to terminate flight following services on VFR?

Consider waiting five or ten minutes until thefrequency is less congested or you fly into another controller’s radar sector. Controllers may terminate flight following services to you if they become too busy orif they can’t hand you off to the next ATC sector. If this is the case, you may receive atransmission like this:

Is it legal to fly a VFR without talking to anybody?

Flying VFR without talking to anybody is still legal most places, but it’s the aviation equivalent of living in the wilderness with no electricity or running water. Most of the time, for most of us, asking ATC for VFR flight following is safer and more civilized.

How to pick up VFR flight following on thinkaviation?

In the Airport/Facility Directory, you will see the controlling center’s frequency. That’s the frequency you will use to pick up VFR flight following. Don’t confuse this frequency with the one above it for the FSS (in this case McMinnville Radio). Remember, the FSS opens your flight plan, but Center APP/DEP will give you flight following.

What happens if you change frequency on flight following?

While receiving flight following, it’s your responsibility to remain on the frequencyyou were issued unless you tell the controller you want to cancel flight following or thecontroller terminates your service. If you change frequencies without notifying thecontroller, he may assume you’ve lost your radio or that you’re experiencing difficulty.