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Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 22:06:41 -0500
From: Snowbird <snbird@ibm.net>
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Subject: Re: Flight following
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ras wrote:

> back, since I was leaving from a controlled field, I requested flight
> following from departure.
 
> #1--Should I have requested flight following from Clearance, while on > the ground?

Sure.  In some places, Clearance will set up flight following for you.
In others, Clearance will tell you to contact Departure.  But it never
hurts to ask.  Sometimes you'll even get it at airfields where it's
not the usual procedure :)

> #2--How do I open my flight plan when I'm already on flight following > with ATC?  You aren't supposed to switch frequencies without telling > them.

Right; so you tell them.  "Approach, Cessna 123 request off frequency
for Flight Service" "Cessna 123, frequency change approved, report
back on frequency" or sometimes "report back in 3 minutes".  

If I have to call Departure Control myself and ask for flight
following, I usually open my VFR flight plan with FSS first.

> Should I haved asked ATC to do it?  

If you are absolutely unable to raise any FSS no matter what
you try, tell ATC this and ask them to open your flight plan
(been there done that).  Don't ordinarily do this.  It's
not something ATC can do easily, I believe they have to call 
FSS on a landline and make your request for you.

And if a higher-priority task comes up, your request may well
fall through the cracks. 

ATC and FSS are really separate entities with separate facilities.

> #3--At one point I wanted to talk to Flight Watch to get a weather
> update. Again I used the second radio.  Should I have asked ATC for 
> this info, or asked for a temporary frequency change?

The latter.  You can ask ATC if they show any weather on their radar,
but they don't have detailed weather info and Flight Watch has access
to better weather radar.  The only drawback is if ATC is so busy you
can hardly get a word in edgewise to ask for a frequency change.

Again, ATC will help as much as time and their info permits, but
they really aren't set up for providing wx info to pilots.

> #4--Pretty much the same question, regarding ATIS.  How do you get it > if you have only one radio and you're being handed off on your way in?

Same deal; request frequency change.  If you've just been handed
off to another ATC facility, check in and ask for a frequency change
on check in, they may need to give you instructions promptly.  Don't
take several minutes to get ATIS before checking in.

> #5--Enroute, I kept telling ATC whenever I was changing heading or 
> altitude significantly to avoid high terrain or clouds. 
> Does this annoy them, or do they want to know this? 

What's "significantly" *smile*?  If you are climbing or descending
to another cruise altitude, you should tell them, definately. That
way if you're going to drop below their radar coverage they can
terminate your flight following neatly, and also alert you to any
traffic with which your new altitude might put you in conflict. It's
really info they need to deliver the service you asked for, and
they agreed to provide.  They don't *have* to agree, but once they
agree they *have* to provide it or notify you that they won't.

If you are changing course dramatically, say more than 30 degrees, 
or are altering your route from what you told them 
on call-up, likewise inform them.

If you're climbing or descending a few hundred feet, or altering
heading 10 degrees or so temporarily to dodge a cloud or some towers
or something, I wouldn't tell them unless they ask.

> They sounded pretty bored with my updates

Never concern yourself with a controller's moods (I'm sure
controllers say the same about pilots *grin*).  Concern yourself 
with ATC instructions, and negotiating for new ones if you aren't
comfortable complying with what you've got, but if doing what
you're supposed to (like questioning an instruction, or reporting
a 2000 ft altitude change) makes the controller sound bored, angry,
snappish, whatever, that's *his* problem.  I'd send him some nice 
yummy chocolate to improve his mood if I could, but I can't while 
I'm flying so he'll just have to cope when I question whether I'm
cleared for the Class B airspace he's vectored me towards or whatever.

I once washed my laundry at a laundromat where the proprietor 
continually complained about the customers.  I told her once "yes,
isn't it awful that they come here and provide you with work" but 
she missed the point.  

> telling me to "maintain VFR" (which I didn't totally understand; do 
> they think I'm confused and thinking I'm under ATC control?)

It's pretty much SOP, just to be sure you're both on the same page
about what to expect from each other.
 
> #6--I kind of botched a couple of handoffs.  Once I got the handoff,
> transmitted my acknowledgement, switched frequencies, made contact 
> with the new controller, and then realized that I had broadcasted my
> handoff acknowledgement to the previous controller with the mic switch > in the wrong position

I don't think it's a big deal, especially VFR.  Sometimes controllers
don't give you time to acknowledge, just "Cessna 1234, contact
Erie Approach on xxx.x break United 345 blah blah break etcetcetc".

They can always ask the next controller if he's talking to you if
they wonder.

But it's better to take your time, acknowledge, and give the
controller a chance to correct you if you misheard the frequency.

> #7--On another handoff I heard "Cessna xyz, contact murphgurglemumble > on 123.45".  Since I had heard the frequency clearly I didn't feel 
> like causing the hassle of asking him to say again (...) Was this OK, > or what should have I done?

That "hassle" is his job, so don't worry about hassling him if you
didn't catch something.  Ask him to repeat it.  "Cessna xyz to 123.45,
say again facility?"

Tip: get some outdated IFR low altitude enroute charts.  These
will give the Center frequencies and boundries.  Note the airports
with approach/dep control (Class C or B usually) along your route.
Then you can pretty well plan ahead who you'll be talking to.

Second tip: sometimes controllers overestimate a small plane's
radio range.  It doesn't hurt to ask what your next frequency
will be ahead of time, if time permits.  Most controllers will
give this gladly; the occasional controller will admonish you
"remain this frequency".  Don't get flustered, just reply "
understood, but when I change, what *will* be my next frequency?"
or something like that.

Hope this helps,
Snowbird

