Flight Following

[Bonchie]

By rule, no -- unless the controller says otherwise. As noted, some controllers like you to tell them before changing altitude/course even if they didn't direct you to do so, but other controllers seem to get annoyed if you do that without request. Me? I tell them regardless, put the snippy controllers in the "someone's having a bad day" department and just move on.

I've had them get annoyed before. Controller said, "You are VFR" in a ticked off tone.

Given how busy the controllers can get in my area, I usually don't tell them, especially when it's a given that I'm stepping down under Class B. It's rare I vacate an altitude VFR before time anyway. So it's not really a factor for me 9 times out of 10.

 

[Timmer]

That is such a shame of a CYA stretch by their legal office. Despite that, where's any kind of indication that cancelling would lead to enforcement? Nowhere in that letter does it say that.

Idle curiosity, but why would you not do as they say? Obviously, if you can see they asked you to do a left turn which would put you into the other aircraft. Other than that?

The only reason you'd get instructions from ATC in E that I can think of is that you asked for them via Flight Following. Then you're going to ignore their instructions to keep you safe and in the clear?

For example, in my earlier post when they told me not to descend when I wanted to fly closer to the water. I could have cancelled FF and done so anyway, although I would have then flown through an area with four other planes circling and doing who knows what else at my altitude? What benefit would there be to that?

I am new and I've only flown a few flights with FF so I'm sure I don't have the widest view of the system but from what I've seen, I love FF and having ATC look out for me.

 

[poadeleted20]

That is such a shame of a CYA stretch by their legal office. Despite that, where's any kind of indication that cancelling would lead to enforcement? Nowhere in that letter does it say that.

You can believe that if you want, but if you choose to act on that belief, I strongly suggest having your AOPA Legal Services Plan membership paid up first.

 

[wrbix]

Idle curiosity, but why would you not do as they say? Obviously, if you can see they asked you to do a left turn which would put you into the other aircraft. Other than that?

The only reason you'd get instructions from ATC in E that I can think of is that you asked for them via Flight Following. Then you're going to ignore their instructions to keep you safe and in the clear?

For example, in my earlier post when they told me not to descend when I wanted to fly closer to the water. I could have cancelled FF and done so anyway, although I would have then flown through an area with four other planes circling and doing who knows what else at my altitude? What benefit would there be to that?

I am new and I've only flown a few flights with FF so I'm sure I don't have the widest view of the system but from what I've seen, I love FF and having ATC look out for me.

They could be vectoring you into convective cell activity that you can see and they can't, cloud clearance, etc. Eyes in the sky beat radar sometimes.

 

[danhagan]

For Class D I've had mixed results. Sometimes they hand you off to the tower (after calling ahead to let them know you are coming in) and other times they will just dump you "squawk VFR, XYZ tower on ..." Just outside the delta and you'll need to call up on your own.

I count on getting "dumped" anytime the destination is San Antonio Stinson or Albuquerque Double Eagle. If it is Fullerton CA, I'll get the Class D handoff.

I was flying down from LA to San Diego along the coast under FF at 6,500 and wanted to fly down low as the coast is beautiful ...."

I've had that approaching Fullerton through Banning Pass. I'll inform them "10500 descending" and they'll reply "VFR at or above 6500".

Thanks for all the replies! My main motivation for asking was that a few weeks back I cancelled flight following 10 miles from my class D destination, and it seemed to blow the controllers mind.

If you have great controllers they'll handle everything for you ... you surprised them.

Just a heads up. Just because you are talking to approach doesn't mean you can enter an underlying class D. Class C you will typically be handed off to since that is a controller but class d, even under a class C not so much. I was flying into Double Eagle (KAEG) once and Albuquerque approach (Not CENTER) told me to squawk vfr and contact tower after I was a good half mile into the class D airspace on the localizer.... The Double Eagle tower was pretty ****ed off with me about it.

Man, if I had the time to tell you all the things that happen in that area (KAEG)

I've NEVER gotten a Center-Approach-Class D handoff there. I've got KAEG's routine down now so I drop FF and hang around outside Class D until it sounds safe/quiet. Here's one that peeved them off in the past:

1. Using the CT FREQ on the current sectional and not ground inbound. Turns out they were switching the frequencies permanently, but failed to put it in the Notams (ABQ APP hand-off gave me the same frequency) - only the local top secret CFIs were aware.

 

[MAKG1]

They could be vectoring you into convective cell activity that you can see and they can't, cloud clearance, etc. Eyes in the sky beat radar sometimes.

Well, sure, but that makes no difference what airspace you're in. Use the magic word "unable."

Inside Class C, I was instructed once to cross midfield at 2500. There was a broken cloud layer at that altitude, that I could see. "Unable" got me a vector parallel to the runway, and a lower crossing altitude further out.

14 CFR 91.3(a) applies in all airspace.

 

[danhagan]

Well, sure, but that makes no difference what airspace you're in. Use the magic word "unable."

Inside Class C, I was instructed once to cross midfield at 2500. There was a broken cloud layer at that altitude, that I could see. "Unable" got me a vector parallel to the runway, and a lower crossing altitude further out.

14 CFR 91.3(a) applies in all airspace.

If just that one broken cloud SVFR might have been an option, but I wasn't there so don't know your EXACT circumstances.

 

[MAKG1]

If just that one broken cloud SVFR might have been an option, but I wasn't there so don't know your EXACT circumstances.

SVFR isn't blanket-prohibited at KSJC, but I think it's a practical impossibility with all the purple 737s. If I get SVFR there, no one can land or depart on an instrument clearance until I come out the other side.

Cloud clearances wouldn't have been an issue with a crossing restriction of 1500 or 2000.