Asking for vectors while VFR

[Jay Honeck]

On our most recent journey we overflew San Antonio's airspace twice. We were utilizing VFR flight following both times. I parked our butt up at 7500 feet and 6500 feet, respectively, so as to be out of their hair. (On Saturday, especially, they were incredibly busy. It was like every GA plane for 400 miles was airborne at once.)

As I cruised along fat, dumb, and happy, I heard a Mexican-registered aircraft call approach. He had just departed from an outlying airport, and asked for VFR flight following.

In the same transmission, he asked for "vectors to Blah Blah Airport" (I don't remember which one). Mary and I chuckled, and figured the incredibly busy controller would chastise him, or say "unable", or something. I mean, I had never heard of any pilot asking a controller for "vectors" to anything while under VFR flight following.

To our surprise, the controller calmly gave the dude vectors, as if this was the most common request in the world.

So, P-of-Aers -- is this something pilots do nowadays? Is this something that's always been done, and I simply missed it in my 19 years of flying spam cans? Have you ever asked for vectors to an airport while VFR?

 

[pericynthion]

Some folks are just the submissive sort, I guess.

 

[ChrisK]

During my first (dual) xc, I told my instructor I was having trouble making out an airport, and he had me ask for vectors. The controller suggested vectors immediately. He said he wanted me to do it just to show me that it could be done.

 

[roncachamp]

So, P-of-Aers -- is this something pilots do nowadays? Is this something that's always been done, and I simply missed it in my 19 years of flying spam cans? Have you ever asked for vectors to an airport while VFR?

It's something that's been done for a long time.

 

[JOhnH]

We have often been given vectors around or through busy air space while flying VFR. I figured it makes the controllers job easier to have us where he wants us so rather than us guessing which way around would be best, we often ask. We have even been thanked for asking a few times.

 

[Corpsmaide]

Good to know...learned something new

 

[douglas393]

I hear it every so often. I would suspect that with GPS it is not as common as a request. I have also been given vectors a couple of times while on VFR flight following without asking. Both times were because of weather. Then again this weekend I maneuvered around a large bush fire which was putting large amounts of soot into the air while heading home. I was on flight following and got a query from flight following as to whether or not I was lost. I just told him I was avoid the soot and all was well. I guess I should have communicated earlier, but I was more concerned about the aviating and navigating issues first.

 

[Cmercado]

Down here sometimes the controllers offer vectors to VFR traffic. Most of them are due to weather and to coordinate the flow of traffic (class C TJSJ & TIST)....

 

[Geico266]

As mentioned it is a valuable tool if you are new to an area or simply cannot find the feeder airport in a busy town like KC. Asking for vectors tells ATC you need guidance, or the magenta line machine is dead.

 

[DogDaddy]

We do it here in FL. The controllers do not interpret it to mean, "Do my navigating for me" They interpret it as "I'm VFR, but since you're watching us on your screen anyway, how about telling me which way you prefer I go so that I'll fit in with other traffic?" They will vector you out of the way of other traffic, or they'll at least call out traffic even before you're able to see it.
I've never heard them ask anyone WHY they wanted vectors (Is your GPS out? Are you lost? Did you lose your eyeglasses?) They just do it.
I've come to learn that ATC prefers that we use their services. They see us on their screen anyway. If we never talk to them they just see us moving on their screen but they don't know where we'll be going. Whereas if we use their services they know where we'll be going and they can fit us in with the other traffic.

 

[poadeleted20]

I remember asking for vectors around P-56 when VFR one day (back before 9/11), and the controller said, "Can't you see the ground?" Actually, I was above a broken layer, and what I could see of DC through it wasn't much help. Eventually he relented.

 

[Velocity173]

Used to vector VFR guys on approach all the time. Sometimes for wx, sometimes to avoid SUA, sometimes they were lost. Granted this was back in the 90's before all the GPS stuff became prevalent. It really isn't an annoyance either. Takes a second to suggest a vector to get them where they need to go.

 

[Palmpilot]

The first time I flew to Long Beach, I asked LGB Tower for a vector to the airport after I exited the LAX special flight rules corridor. This was before I had a GPS, Southern California airspace is more complex than I am used to, and I was afraid I might bust somebody's airspace if I tried to find it on my own.

 

[steingar]

I did it when I was a student pilot, and I wouldn't hesitate if my navigation stopped working, like it did over the mountains of North Carolina. Better to ask than bust someone's airspace, or unwittingly crash into terrain. Those guys are paid for by my tax dollars, and as far as I'm concerned they're there to keep us safe.

 

[Sac Arrow]

Nothing wrong with asking for vectors VFR, I've done it myself before.

 

[Inverted]

ATC is there to serve us, not the other way around. If a pilot has a request, if they can comply with it, they will do it. That has been my general feeling while dealing with ATC. Of course priority comes into play, if they are busy separating IFR traffic, the VFR guy has to take a second seat.

 

[denverpilot]

... the magenta line machine is dead.

Insert facepalm here.

 

[Jay Honeck]

Used to vector VFR guys on approach all the time. Sometimes for wx, sometimes to avoid SUA, sometimes they were lost. Granted this was back in the 90's before all the GPS stuff became prevalent. It really isn't an annoyance either. Takes a second to suggest a vector to get them where they need to go.

Thanks for the responses. I've been vectored many times while using VFR flight following. In fact, it's the norm when flying into Houston.

But that's different than asking for vectors to an airport. I've never heard anyone do that, especially in extremely busy airspace. I was just curious if this was something other pilots have done, or perhaps it was commonly done in Mexican airspace? (This pilot was flying a Mexican registered aircraft.)

 

[dell30rb]

It is commonly done. Also a great tool if you are lost or if your instructor screws with your equipment.

 

[Velocity173]

Thanks for the responses. I've been vectored many times while using VFR flight following. In fact, it's the norm when flying into Houston.

But that's different than asking for vectors to an airport. I've never heard anyone do that, especially in extremely busy airspace. I was just curious if this was something other pilots have done, or perhaps it was commonly done in Mexican airspace? (This pilot was flying a Mexican registered aircraft.)

Well it's really not as common these days. Most of us have portable GPSs that can give a track in a split second. Like I said, I worked approach before all the technology took the hard work out of finding an airport. Bunches of times I had guys request a vector to an airport. Nowadays, unless my GPS has failed I wouldn't need it. I still request vectors all the time around summer storms here in the southeast. I don't have any of the nice wx apps so prefer to let ATC handle it. IMO they have the best view of immediate wx and can get me around it and I don't violate any airspace for the deviation. Never once did I not have a controller assist me in this manner. Hey these controllers get paid good money to do what they do and we need to push them. Heck most of these facilities have had drastic reductions in traffic loads so it's not like they're working the amount of traffic say 10 yrs ago.

 

[danhagan]

So, P-of-Aers -- is this something pilots do nowadays? Is this something that's always been done, and I simply missed it in my 19 years of flying spam cans? Have you ever asked for vectors to an airport while VFR?

I've never asked for vectors ... but Fullerton offers vectors to the straight in final EVERY time I go out to Disneyland (3 or 4 times now). Although I can navigate on my own there, it's nice of them to offer it as that field is a bear to pick out when hazy.

 

[Jaybird180]

Flying Night VFR on two occasions: Navigation equipment said I was there but Mark-I couldn't confirm. I asked for vectors. We're 1 for 2 on success.

 

[Mike I]

I take it that there's a difference between receiving vectors and suggesting headings, and that when VFR outside Class B, the controller is providing only suggested headings, not positive control vectors...or am I off base?

 

[Ventucky Red]

The first time I flew to Long Beach, I asked LGB Tower for a vector to the airport after I exited the LAX special flight rules corridor. This was before I had a GPS, Southern California airspace is more complex than I am used to, and I was afraid I might bust somebody's airspace if I tried to find it on my own.

So Cal Approach can be very accommodating especially when it is busy.... I can't say enough good things about those gays and gals.. and never once had problem with them...

It is commonly done. Also a great tool if you are lost or if your instructor screws with your equipment.

Hind sight being the best sight, this is what should have done when I thought I had gotten lost with my instructor real close to Camp David back in Carter Administration. He really had a field day with me... are you sure...are you sure....are you sure...and in the end I called up for recommended heading to Frederick Airport..

That shut him up for about 5 minutes until he found something else to get on me about.. Don't get me wrong... I was glad to have him as my instructor taught me well

 

[roncachamp]

I take it that there's a difference between receiving vectors and suggesting headings, and that when VFR outside Class B, the controller is providing only suggested headings, not positive control vectors...or am I off base?

Somewhat off base. VFR aircraft that request vectors can be vectored just as an IFR aircraft would be vectored, the controller doesn't have to say they're suggested headings.

 

[pericynthion]

I did it when I was a student pilot, and I wouldn't hesitate if my navigation stopped working, like it did over the mountains of North Carolina. Better to ask than bust someone's airspace, or unwittingly crash into terrain.

Vectors (or suggested headings) provided by controllers while VFR do not necessarily guarantee separation from terrain. That's on the pilot. And if your navigation stops working or you're lost while VFR, sure you might end up busting someone's airspace but you should never crash into terrain because you're flying by visual flight rules.

 

[Palmpilot]

...And if your navigation stops working or you're lost while VFR, sure you might end up busting someone's airspace but you should never crash into terrain because you're flying by visual flight rules.

It can easily happen in VFR conditions on a night flight.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

I believe in most cases the ATC would rather offer vectors to VFR pilots on FF as it is easier to vector you around traffic than call traffic and wait for a response. some days everyone is on one side of the traffic, if you ask for vectors they can route you where there is less stress for them.

I used to circle the Class C Wichita about 1 - 2 miles outside the Class C and the ATC told me he would prefer to suggest vectors and altitude so that I wouldn't interfere with the path of incoming traffic rather than have to route them around me.

I had a ATC FF tell me something similar said he would just assume or prefer to offer vectors as to announce traffic.

As pilots we are tying our own professionalism to knowing which way to go but not realizing we are only one a/c on a scope with dozens of other a/c. Just like any traffic there are times we all bunch up making the ATC-ers job a challenge. Giving him control to route us can make for safer traveling for us and less stress for them.

First time I flew to Phx, no gps, coming over the mountain I could not see Willis Gateway right away it was all concrete and ran together. I would have found it eventually but I asked for vectors.

 

[MAKG1]

It can easily happen in VFR conditions on a night flight.

Especially in mountainous terrain.

I flew to Salinas last week, before moonrise, and Mt. Umunhum would have been a complete black hole if it weren't for the lighted obstructions on the peak. The foothills were totally invisible.

I knew from the sectional that there was lower terrain along US101. But I could see where that could get hard to figure out at night. The OROCA was an option, but that requires a fast descent to sea level (it's 4800 ft).