Deer Valley - Ask for Flight Following on ground?

CC268

CC268

Final Approach
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CC268
I always call Phoenix Approach when I request Flight Following when flying out of Deer Valley (my home base), but I'm kind of curious if I can get Flight Following arranged when I first call ground (seen some YouTube videos where they do this at another Class D airport).

I guess I would just call up Ground:
Me: "Deer Valley Ground, Cherokee 101RM"
Them: "Cherokee 101RM, Deer Valley Ground"
Me: "Cherokee 101RM at southeast hangars, taxi for north departure with alpha. Is it possible to pick up Flight Following through you guys?"

Does this seem appropriate?

Thanks
 
They'll probably tell you to call Phoenix approach once you're in the air. Not sure if the tower can issue a transponder code.
 
CC268 said:
I always call Phoenix Approach when I request Flight Following when flying out of Deer Valley (my home base), but I'm kind of curious if I can get Flight Following arranged when I first call ground (seen some YouTube videos where they do this at another Class D airport).
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In the video, are they at another Phoenix area airport making this request? It seems like some areas have slightly different procedures when it comes to this than others.

But to answer your question, your hypothetical radio conversation sounds fine to me. Worst the controller says is no.
 
mondtster said:
In the video, are they at another Phoenix area airport making this request? It seems like some areas have slightly different procedures when it comes to this than others.

But to answer your question, your hypothetical radio conversation sounds fine to me. Worst the controller says is no.
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No I believe it was in Michigan near Detroit
 
When requesting flight following, state your type (which is indeed part of your callsign in your own example), destination (including its 3-character code if the destination is not likely familiar to the controller), and requested altitude.

"Deer Valley Ground, Cherokee 101RM, requesting flight following to ABC Airport at X,000."

With few exceptions, most towers with a radar display can initiate your flight following request. DVT is one such tower.
 
Does not hurt to ask. They can kill ya but they can't eat ya.....;)
 
Ability for ground/tower to arrange Flight Following depends on the setup with local TRACON.

When I first started primary training at KDTO, FF requests had to be gotten from Regional Departure once airborne. But soon after, connectivity to the regional radar systems also provided the means for granting FF requests and issuing Beacon codes.

@CC268, at any tower controlled field I have been to, the ground controllers were very willing to answer a "how it's done" question. So if the answer isn't already published somewhere, just ask.
 
Just as a data point, at KPDK they will tell you to contact Atlanta after takeoff for FF. Atlanta also wants to know your equipment code for VFR flight following which is interesting (cessna 63149, type 150 slant golf, vfr to podunk, 3500).
 
Controlled airports by default I AWLAYS ask for FF from the ground controller (or CD if appropriate) first unless otherwise specified somewhere...then let them tell me if they are unable if they can not. Never be hesitant to ask for FF initially from Ground then you will know if they are able or not moving forward.

If not, I will then ask for the the departure frequency for that request once airborne to make sure I am starting in the right place.
 
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CC268 said:
I always call Phoenix Approach when I request Flight Following when flying out of Deer Valley (my home base), but I'm kind of curious if I can get Flight Following arranged when I first call ground (seen some YouTube videos where they do this at another Class D airport).

I guess I would just call up Ground:
Me: "Deer Valley Ground, Cherokee 101RM"
Them: "Cherokee 101RM, Deer Valley Ground"
Me: "Cherokee 101RM at southeast hangars, taxi for north departure with alpha. Is it possible to pick up Flight Following through you guys?"

Does this seem appropriate?

Thanks
Click to expand...
Sounds good to me. Do it. You'll find out how they feel about it. Let us know how it goes.
 
I was there in November. Departed to the west and they told me to pick it up in the air from Luke approach.

I did basically what you suggest and just asked on the ground if they could arrange it. I didn't do the full FF call up.

It's worth a shot since it is 4 months later and maybe something changed.
 
ircphoenix said:
I was there in November. Departed to the west and they told me to pick it up in the air from Luke approach.

I did basically what you suggest and just asked on the ground if they could arrange it. I didn't do the full FF call up.

It's worth a shot since it is 4 months later and maybe something changed.
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Ahh cool thanks for the feedback.
 
Phoenix won't let the towers set up a squawk code in my experience. It's happens with TRACON around here.
 
They used to do that quite some time ago but haven't in the last few years. At least as of Tuesday they still were refusing.
 
I landed at KDVT on Sunday. Found it strange I had to tell them all the typical information when handed to them from Phoenix approach. Do they not have radar there?
 
They (kdvt) do have radar, reliable, right to about 400'. They are part of a mosaic system which overlays the feeds from all the local radar sources. I believe their rotating radar tower is just about 2 miles south of the airport. It's hit or miss with information being passed between PHX and KDVT. They both get very busy, but 'not sure if that figures into the equation.
 
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KDVT is a Remote Tower of P50 (Phoenix TRACON), so there is a direct data link between them, and they use STARS which means the Tower controller can issue a beacon code on his terminal and issue VFR Flight Following with the data being instantly accessible at P50. Now just because the tower controllers have the capability of doing this doesn't mean they will.
 
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