Follow-up to VFR over ORD class B

[slavinger]

As a follow-up to my earlier "VFR over ORD class B" question, I wanted to give a shout-out to the awesome Chicago approach controllers, based on my own recent experiences. I know my previous thread generated a lot of back & forth about who gets FF and when, here's my experience. I've had several flights so far out of UGN SE-bound VFR, over ORD class B and along the lakeshore VFR corridor. In all cases, I was able to get FF no problem on 120.55. Chicago guys even go out of their way to arrange transition of GYY's airspace. They're a pleasure to deal with! Granted I'm flying through on Sun afternoons (probably not rush hour), I'm starting on the north end, and not as a hand-off from another facility (which is key, judging by the previous thread). I have yet to try my luck going northbound VFR towards UGN, but so far my experience has been very positive!

 

[asgcpa]

I've never had a problem with FF along lakeshore. Chgo ATC have always been great to work with in my experience. However since MDW changed the proc for 22L I hate going lower. That's why I'm waiting to get my IR before venturing down the shoreline.

 

[mikea]

We were talking Chicago ILLINOIS. Where were you talking about?

 

[MarkZ]

Thank you for the write up!

 

[PPC1052]

So what is the latest experience with VFR flight following around Chicago. I am planning a trip to Chicago Exec this weekend, and will probably fly up the lake shore route Saturday morning. Any chance I can actually get flight following?

 

[MarkZ]

Just ask approach for flight following. Coming from the south or southeast, 128.2 is a good start. From the southwest, try 119.35. From anywhere north, 120.55

 

[steingar]

I've only ever heard six words. "Please remain clear of the Bravo".

 

[flyingcheesehead]

I've never had a problem with FF along lakeshore. Chgo ATC have always been great to work with in my experience. However since MDW changed the proc for 22L I hate going lower. That's why I'm waiting to get my IR before venturing down the shoreline.

I don't understand... You've never had a problem with FF along the lakeshore, but you're waiting to get your IR before venturing down the shoreline?

 

[PPC1052]

This Saturday morning was beautiful along the lake shore route. Initially, Chicago approach did not respond to me request for flight following. I think he may just not have heard me. As I heard approach call my position out for a landing airliner, I broke in and told the controller that I was probably the traffic he had called out and I wanted flight following to Chicago Exec. He confirmed that I was that traffic, and seemed happy to know my intentions and gave me flight following the rest of the way. Surprisingly, there wasn't too much traffic in the morning. On the way back around 5:00 p.m central, no problem getting flight following back down the shoreline. There was a ton of traffic, and I had to keep my head on a swivel looking for all of the targets that were being called out. No complaints with Chicago approach, and a big thank to those guys for the help.

 

[mikea]

This Saturday morning was beautiful along the lake shore route. Initially, Chicago approach did not respond to me request for flight following. I think he may just not have heard me. ...

Oh, they heard, just the same as an untrained dog hears you.

 

[Jmcmanna]

Oh, they heard, just the same as as untrained dog hears you.

Or....his transmission was blocked, which happens sometimes in busy airspace...or the controller was coordinating with another controller, and didn't hear him...

Maybe the fact that several pilots have come on here and posted positive comments about flight following means you're still out-of-touch with reality and have little idea how the system actually works. You haven't taken us up on our suggestion to visit he facility, and you haven't given any specific examples of you having a request ignored or denied (feel free to post a date, time, and freq and I will try to find it personally--or better yet, post a liveatc link and everyone can hear it). You respond to every other pilot on here that they more or less got lucky, or couldn't have possibly been really talking to Chicago approach. Maybe you should pull your airplane out of he hangar and actually dial in 120.55 once you're in the air and call us.

After that, if you want to debate about whether or not we should move a dozen airliners around you so you can fly in the coveted class B wherever you want, then by all means...

 

[mikea]

Or....his transmission was blocked, which happens sometimes in busy airspace...or the controller was coordinating with another controller, and didn't hear him...

Maybe the fact that several pilots have come on here and posted positive comments about flight following means you're still out-of-touch with reality and have little idea how the system actually works. You haven't taken us up on our suggestion to visit he facility, and you haven't given any specific examples of you having a request ignored or denied (feel free to post a date, time, and freq and I will try to find it personally--or better yet, post a liveatc link and everyone can hear it). You respond to every other pilot on here that they more or less got lucky, or couldn't have possibly been really talking to Chicago approach. Maybe you should pull your airplane out of he hangar and actually dial in 120.55 once you're in the air and call us.

After that, if you want to debate about whether or not we should move a dozen airliners around you so you can fly in the coveted class B wherever you want, then by all means...

SEE? NOBODY HAS EVEN SUGGESTED GETTING A CLEARANCE INTO BRAVO. We're talking VFR flight following which you can get in in other really, really, really, really busier airspace like New York City, Los Angeles and Atlanta. You know. Places where they have prohibited airspace and terrain you can hit and stuff where Chicago has flat land, a lake, and farms.

How about you just answer the call and say unable? That never happens either.

You want to fly the lakefront route with us sometime and see what reply you get when you call up 6 times over 15 minutes , feel free.

 

[Jmcmanna]

Give me a date, time, and frequency that you were ignored and I will search for it myself. Call and complain; we aren't allowed to simply ignore multiple radio calls. They'll investigate it. I have never been ignored as a pilot, and I have never ignored anyone as a controller.

 

[MarkZ]

SEE? NOBODY HAS EVEN SUGGESTED GETTING A CLEARANCE INTO BRAVO. We're talking VFR flight following which you can get in in other really, really, really, really busier airspace like New York City, Los Angeles and Atlanta. You know. Places where they have prohibited airspace and terrain you can hit and stuff where Chicago has flat land, a lake, and farms.

How about you just answer the call and say unable? That never happens either.

You want to fly the lakefront route with us sometime and see what reply you get when you call up 6 times over 15 minutes , feel free.

If ORD is landing to the west arrivals cross the lake shore at 3,000-4,000 ft descending. We are required to provide standard separation with IFR and VFR aircraft within the bravo, and that includes wake turbulence minima.

When MDW is landing RNAV 22L arrivals cross the lake shore descending out of 2,500. Usually when MDW is on 22L, ORD is also landing to the west, which makes the lake shore an area with a lot of low altitude IFR traffic.

I can understand frustration. What I don't understand is the attempt to insult the very people you gripe aren't providing you the "best possible service." Does that tactic work for you outside of the internet?

I believe your frustration, if it is genuine and not a way to lash out at us trying to help you out, stems from a lack of education. I have flown Chicago airspace since 1999, and didn't become a controller until 2002. I toured the TRACON when i started PPL training, and found out the best ways to navigate the system. I have NEVER been ignored when I called up on the proper frequency for flight following. I'll counter your "offer" with one of my own I made on this forum a while ago. Come out to the TRACON for a tour. A little education will go a long way.

To date, exactly ZERO POA pilots have taken up the offer...

 

[PPC1052]

Well, I had zero problem getting flight following in the afternoon when traffic was the heaviest. They were landing to the west, and airliners were coming in off the lake, both in the morning and in the afternoon. My impression both times was that the controllers were happy to be able to communicate with me to know what my intentions were and that I wasn't going to screw anything up for the airliners. In the evening, I was altering course and altitude to increase separation.