Flight Following

[desertdog71]

Here is a question for you.

When I am flying VFR and request Flight Following I say "Kansas City Center, Nxxxx with VFR Request" and then wait for ATC to respond and then give them my location altitude destination and request for flight following.

I hear many people just come right out with the full request and they almost always have to repeat what they said. What is the prefered method when asking for flight following?

Also with flight following, if you as the pilot encounter traffic without being given a heads up by ATC, should you report the traffic to ATC? or simply continue along your route?

Thanks
I appreciate it.

 

[OmahaPilot]

I use the "Approach or Center" Nxxxxx with request method. Now granted that where I fly approach is not usually super busy but they seem to like the heads up. But, I fly from a satellite airport where we do have to contact them every time on departure so I ask for following then and they will hand you directly over to Center when you leave their scope. As far as the other traffic encounters, well I am not sure.. sorry that is just my .02 worth!

 

[meritflyer]

For the sake of cluttering the frequency, I say "Cessna XXXX, 3 southeast of XXX, VFR request". If they can take me, they'll call me back if not they'll say "VFR 3 southeast XXX, call back in 5 minutes". This way I dont spend 3 minutes telling them where I am, who I am, and what I need.

 

[Fox Xray]

Everyone does it different and there is no stead fast wrong or right way, myself and many I work with like meritflyer's technique and here's why. He gives just the right amount of info for me to get the ball rolling, most important he gives a location for me to look.

Cessna XXXX, 3 southeast of XXX, VFR request

He tells me who he is, where to look, and roughly what he wants. On my end I can grab a blank strip, jot down the call sign, try and ID where he is, start a track, and get a code out of the computer to issue to him.

Cessna XXXX go ahead...

He'll generally come back with where he wants to go, where he departed from, and type A/C. I can give him a code, positive ID him, and get the flight plan info into the computer.

Why this also helps is if he is in someone else's airspace when he calls we haven't wasted each others time, I can just give him the proper frequency to contact.

If possible try and be close on the location, especially talking to center. We work some sectors on a significant range and are looking at a lot of data. Stating over XXX VOR when you are really 8 miles E NE of the VOR does not help. I understand that without GPS or DME equipment this is not as easy but the more exact you can tell me the easier it sometimes makes it.

 

[bwade210]

Nice write up!

 

[Van_Hoolio]

Also with flight following, if you as the pilot encounter traffic without being given a heads up by ATC, should you report the traffic to ATC? or simply continue along your route?

Depending on how close it is, I usually say, "Hey Approach, I MISSED the ____; proceeding on course......."

 

[rickyrhodesii]

Also with flight following, if you as the pilot encounter traffic without being given a heads up by ATC, should you report the traffic to ATC? or simply continue along your route?

Do as you like, but remember, just because you see the traffic, doesn't mean the controller sees it. No transponder, low altitude, radar blind spot...these could be a few reasons.

I've had this happen a few times and let me tell you, it'll make your heart skip a beat. "Hey approach, we have traffic passing off our left, co-altitude." me: "Uh, roger..."

Also take this into consideration, with flight following, this is provided as an additional service. So, you may not be as high of a priority as an IFR aircraft.

 

[MFT1Air]

For the sake of cluttering the frequency, I say "Cessna XXXX, 3 southeast of XXX, VFR request". If they can take me, they'll call me back if not they'll say "VFR 3 southeast XXX, call back in 5 minutes". This way I dont spend 3 minutes telling them where I am, who I am, and what I need.

During my IFR training periods at the computer, I listen to ATC Monitor. Most insightful is the TRACON and tower for the Atlanta airport. As I read the "call back in 5 minutes" comment, I couldn't help be smile, for ATL would probably say, "get a grip!" :insane: As if I had time.

 

[mtsu_av8er]

Also with flight following, if you as the pilot encounter traffic without being given a heads up by ATC, should you report the traffic to ATC? or simply continue along your route?

Don't worry about that traffic. ATC is giving you advisories on a workload-permitting basis. If they didn't point the traffic out to you, they're probably busy doing something else.