Flight Following- Center vs TRACON

[warthog1984]

When requesting flight following, when would you contact Center instead of Approach, or vice versa?

For instance, say I go from KCMA to KPSP or KSAN, can I contact ARTCC and stay with 1 controller instead of changing freqs from Mugu to the various SoCal sectors?

Or if I go from KSBA to KOAK, when departing the SBA App area, do I call up Center and stay with them until reaching NorCal?

Thanks!

 

[Shawn]

For instance, say I go from KCMA to KPSP or KSAN, can I contact ARTCC and stay with 1 controller instead of changing freqs from Mugu to the various SoCal sectors?

That is purely dictated by your altitude as well as position. ARTCC and Center are divided up by not only geographic boundaries but altitudes. If I fly from WVI to FUL via SBA at 9500' I will get Nor Cal to Oakland Center to LA Center to another LA center to countless So Cal.

Just did that same trip at 5500' and it went Nor Cal to Oak Center to LA Center to SB approach to Mugu approach to So Cal.

If you do not know what your proper ARTCC frequency is, your closest center frequency is a good place to start then they will tell ya where you need to be to get established on FF.

 

[woodchucker]

In general, if you are leaving an area on app/dep frequency, request flight following from them. If you are not on ff, then call center. If you are not on ff, but approaching controlled airspace, contact approach for transition and if desired before you exit the airspace request ff and they will pass you on to the applicable frequency.

 

[MAKG1]

Doesn't anyone read the A/FD anymore?

It will tell you what facility to contact and at what frequency for your departure airport of something neaby. If it doesn't, it's center.

So will a 430 or Foreflight.

 

[flyingron]

Doesn't anyone read the A/FD anymore?

It will tell you what facility to contact and at what frequency for your departure airport of something neaby. If it doesn't, it's center.

So will a 430 or Foreflight.

Typically only airports with instrument approaches have such frequencies listed in the comm block. That frequency may be an approach/departure control or it may be a center.

It is NOT the case that if there is no frequency listed that CENTER is the appropriate one. Best to find the nearest airport with a frequency listed (either by AF/D or the instrument plates).

 

[roncachamp]

When requesting flight following, when would you contact Center instead of Approach, or vice versa?

You should contact Center when you are in, or about to enter, Center airspace. You should contact Approach when you are in, or about to enter, Approach airspace. Your next question will likely be, "How do I know whose airspace I'm in or about to enter?" The airspace boundaries are not made readily available to the general pilot population. You can examine IAPs and the A/FD to see what facility is responsible for various airports. Sectionals show frequencies for Class B and Class C airspace and TRSAs, as well as some that have none of those. I used to advocate obtaining an IFR enroute chart for this but that info has been deleted.

 

[StinkBug]

For instance, say I go from KCMA to KPSP or KSAN, can I contact ARTCC and stay with 1 controller instead of changing freqs from Mugu to the various SoCal sectors?

In my experience it doesn't matter who you're talking to, you're still gonna get passed from one controller to the next as you move from sector to sector. Radios only transmit so far.

 

[sixpacker]

It is very very bad to call up the wrong controller! If you call approach or departure instead of center or vice versa you run the VERY REAL risk of the controller telling you the correct frequency to call. You will waste up to 10 seconds going through this procedure! Don't do it.

 

[comanchepilot]

Typically only airports with instrument approaches have such frequencies listed in the comm block. That frequency may be an approach/departure control or it may be a center.

It is NOT the case that if there is no frequency listed that CENTER is the appropriate one. Best to find the nearest airport with a frequency listed (either by AF/D or the instrument plates).

If you are within 20nm of a Class C - the freq's are on the chart regardless of whether you little Class G field has an instrument approach or not. They are the same ones.

Same with if you are near a Class D - inside 20nm - use that frequency.

Class B - well - if operate to a tower less field under a Class B I'm gonna hope you were talking to someone on the way in - use that frequency on the way out.

In the middle of nowhere and don't where to turn? 888-766-8267 -Tell them where are and ask for a departure frequency - they'll know.

Don't have a phone or cell service? Or are just lazy, open up local IFR LOW chart to the panel with your airport, printed somewhere on there is a center name and frequency. Voila.

 

[flyingron]

Same with if you are near a Class D - inside 20nm - use that frequency.

Doubtful. Most of the class D's I've seen will not do anything useful in getting flight following other than potentially redirecting you to the frequency you would have found by looking in the AFD/approach plate.

In the middle of nowhere and don't where to turn? 888-766-8267 -Tell them where are and ask for a departure frequency - they'll know.

That's like saying "post a thread on POA asking for the departure frequency."

Don't have a phone or cell service? Or are just lazy, open up local IFR LOW chart to the panel with your airport, printed somewhere on there is a center name and frequency. Voila.

Around here it's rare that center has responsibility down low. We're a mix of approach controls from up in PA all the way to North Carolina. There are tiny pieces of New York, Washington, and Atlanta centers in there, but mostly it's civil and military approach controls.

Looking in the AF/D or the approach plate (or the electronic form) will get you the best answer as soon as you find a facility that has a communications block R frequency listed.

 

[Fearless Tower]

Around here it's rare that center has responsibility down low. We're a mix of approach controls from up in PA all the way to North Carolina. There are tiny pieces of New York, Washington, and Atlanta centers in there, but mostly it's civil and military approach controls.

Don't you and I fly in the same neck of the woods? When I fly between ORF and Tennessee, I am constantly getting passed back and forth between Approach controllers and Centers (Washington and Atlanta).

If it was all approach, you could do Tower Enroute, which is something I really miss about SoCal.

 

[comanchepilot]

I think you misunderstood Ron - if you call the Tower [even on a landline] they will give you the frequency for the Tracon handling the sector you are in - the question was how to get the frequency. Thts one way of getting it. Or - as you suggest - look on an approach plate.

The 888 number is the national clearance delivery number - if you leave XXX airport IFR and filed an IFR clearance they have to give you a freq to contact someone on - and thus, voila, there is a frequency to contact a center or tracon.

And, the frequency on the IFR low charts WILL work. Try it sometime - there is no one sitting there monitoring it if they are not using it - but someone will answer unless its notam'd tango uniform.

 

[flyingron]

Don't you and I fly in the same neck of the woods? When I fly between ORF and Tennessee, I am constantly getting passed back and forth between Approach controllers and Centers (Washington and Atlanta).

If it was all approach, you could do Tower Enroute, which is something I really miss about SoCal.

Tennesee is in the sticks. At reasonable altitudes from ORF to IAD and IAD to INT I'll never get anywhere near a center. There's a hole just east of LYH which defaults to ZDC, but I rarely hit that.

TEC is an IFR thing. They have "TEC" in the NE as well but they don't make clever use of it like the californians do.

Some of us got our licenses back when the controllers were striking so we know the reason behind TEC.

 

[comanchepilot]

They have "TEC" in the NE as well but they don't make clever use of it like the californians do.

well, us Calleyforneans are used to taking the 210 to the 605 to the 105 . . . .or the 10 to the 405 to the 101 . . .

 

[vkhosid]

well, us Calleyforneans are used to taking the 210 to the 605 to the 105 . . . .or the 10 to the 405 to the 101 . . .

You mean southern Calleyforneans....please exclude any use of the word "the" in reference to freeway nomenclature when referencing any sort of state or national roadway north of Monterey Bay....much obliged

 

[Unit74]

Here is a thought......just call up whatever freq you can find and make the request. Who cares who it is...I don't. If it's the wrong one, I'm sure they will tell you who to call.

You guys are making it more complicated than a Micrsoft trouble shooting flow chart.

 

[charris911]

Here is a thought......just call up whatever freq you can find and make the request. Who cares who it is...I don't. If it's the wrong one, I'm sure they will tell you who to call.

You guys are making it more complicated than a Micrsoft trouble shooting flow chart.

 

[Brad Z]

Here's my order of who to call:

No one else mentioned, so I'll also suggest calling flight service in flight, provide them your location and request the frequency for the nearest ATC facility with radar services. Easiest is to use the A/FD frequency listed on your favorite iPad app.

 

[roncachamp]

Here's my order of who to call:

No one else mentioned, so I'll also suggest calling flight service in flight, provide them your location and request the frequency for the nearest ATC facility with radar services. Easiest is to use the A/FD frequency listed on your favorite iPad app.

If you're going to use an app why not use one that provides ATC frequencies instead of FSS, as that's the information you're seeking?

 

[Sac Arrow]

You mean southern Calleyforneans....please exclude any use of the word "the" in reference to freeway nomenclature when referencing any sort of state or national roadway north of Monterey Bay....much obliged

I still drive the I-80 over the Bay Bridge to the 101, thank you....

 

[PPC1052]

Easiest is to use the A/FD frequency listed on your favorite iPad app.

If you're going to use an app why not use one that provides ATC frequencies instead of FSS, as that's the information you're seeking?

Out of curiosity, I checked the A/FD entry on Foreflight for my home airport. It listed the frequency for approach control/departure control, as well as clearance delivery, not FSS.

 

[Brad Z]

If you're going to use an app why not use one that provides ATC frequencies instead of FSS, as that's the information you're seeking?

Out of curiosity, I checked the A/FD entry on Foreflight for my home airport. It listed the frequency for approach control/departure control, as well as clearance delivery, not FSS.

Perhaps I didn't make it clear that contacting FSS is an option if you do not have an iPhone/iPad app. No one else on the thread mentioned containg FSS by radio and requesting a frequency. If you have a VFR chart, you have everything you need to get a hold of LM FSS.

Obviously if you have Foreflight (or similar), clicking on the nearest airport and pulling up the ATC facility is the easiest way to call up for flight following. No need to go looking for a frequency for FSS if the appropriate Center or Tracon frequency is at your fingertips.

 

[PPC1052]

Perhaps I didn't make it clear that contacting FSS is an option if you do not have an iPhone/iPad app. No one else on the thread mentioned containg FSS by radio and requesting a frequency. If you have a VFR chart, you have everything you need to get a hold of LM FSS.

Obviously if you have Foreflight (or similar), clicking on the nearest airport and pulling up the ATC facility is the easiest way to call up for flight following. No need to go looking for a frequency for FSS if the appropriate Center or Tracon frequency is at your fingertips.

Your post made sense. I may have misread Roncachamp's intent, but I thought Roncachamp was suggesting that the A/FD entry wouldn't have ATC frequencies, but would only have FSS frequencies.

 

[vkhosid]

I still drive the I-80 over the Bay Bridge to the 101, thank you....

you're entitled to your wrong opinion, good sir...

 

[catmandu]

I still drive the I-80 over the Bay Bridge to the 101, thank you....

I still drive 50 over the Bay Bridge to 95 to 66 when I go to my folks house.

Only one 'the' required, thank you very much.

 

[LuisO]

I open ForeFlight, find the blue dot, touch and hold the closest airport to said blue dot, go to Info->Other Frequencies and tune in either the Approach or Center frequency found there.

They will ask you to ident and will give you the right frequency if it's not them.

PS: the A/FD as mentioned before does the same thing (if you know where you are)

 

[jesse]

I pull up an approach plate for the nearest airport and call up the listed frequency. 90% of the time it's the right one and if it's not they'll tell me who to contact.

 

[warthog1984]

Thanks for the responses. I ask because I've seen people mention talking to Center, but during my primary training it was all FF with Approach. And when SBA App dumped me from FF on my solo XC without providing the next freq freq. it freaked me out a bit and I didn't know what to do.

 

[flyingron]

well, us Calleyforneans are used to taking the 210 to the 605 to the 105 . . . .or the 10 to the 405 to the 101 . . .

Don't know down in that stretch. I spent most of my time up in the bay area so I'm used to the Nimitz and the Bayshore .

 

[flyingron]

Thanks for the responses. I ask because I've seen people mention talking to Center, but during my primary training it was all FF with Approach. And when SBA App dumped me from FF on my solo XC without providing the next freq freq. it freaked me out a bit and I didn't know what to do.

Depends where you are in the country. In the coastal megopolises (and around Chicago) down low you've got lots of overlapping appraoch controls.

Other places all you have is center for ATC.

It's even fluid. For years, my home field was controlled by ZTL (which was great as I could even raise them on the ground). They rejiggered the airspace and now it's controlled by CLT approach which I can't reach on the ground and is a royal pain to deal with. What I do is take off and fly four miles until I'm in ZTL's airspace and call them most of the time.