New ppl, question regarding flight following

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Carolinaflyer

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Carolinaflyer
Just passed my check ride and I’m planning some xc’s to build confidence and time for ir. Most of these first flights are to uncontrolled fields, out and back with just a stop and go, and I plan to use flight following. My question is this:
As I near my destination, should I inform ATC that I want a frequency change to the field’s CTAF and that I will call them back after I have departed and ready to resume ff for my return trip? Is this proper protocol?
My CFI and I used ff a couple of times in training, but the flights always terminated at a controlled field.
Idk, maybe I’m overthinking it...
 
Approaching your destination if it’s towered ATC will hang you off to approach or tower, if not give them a nudge saying you have the weather. Same with uncontrolled, they will typically cut loose off 8-10 miles out, not always, I use FF every time, one time they kept me around little too much close to the destination , I had to call 3 times to get their attention.
 
As you near your destination they will tell you services terminated frequency change approved. What you can do is inform them your plans and they will likely tell you to keep your squawk and call them back up when you are climbing out.
 
Typically, cancel FF/vfr advisories, when you have the field in sight or are comfortable. No need to tell them that you will be up again soon. Just call them when you are up again and clear of your departure field's pattern and CTAF calls.

I have never had ATC tell me to remain on code while landing and on the ground. Usually, they want you to switch to 1200 when or before you land. YMMV depending on where you fly, I guess. Never seen it out west or in the Mid-west.

Congrats on Passing your check ride!
 
Thanks for all the replies. Looking forward to getting a few of these under my belt.
 
WannFly said:
Approaching your destination if it’s towered ATC will hang you off to approach or tower, if not give them a nudge saying you have the weather.
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Where I fly, they seem to say "advise when you have the ATIS" about 60nm out.

I find in those cases that saying "field in sight" is a good nudge.
 
Around here if you are doing a touch and go or practice approaches while getting advisories they will tell you to keep the code ans call them back when youre back up. Memphis center does that as well as Columbus approach. Try one way over the other, they will direct you. You will do fine.
 
Carolinaflyer said:
Just passed my check ride and I’m planning some xc’s to build confidence and time for ir. Most of these first flights are to uncontrolled fields, out and back with just a stop and go, and I plan to use flight following. My question is this:
As I near my destination, should I inform ATC that I want a frequency change to the field’s CTAF and that I will call them back after I have departed and ready to resume ff for my return trip? Is this proper protocol?
My CFI and I used ff a couple of times in training, but the flights always terminated at a controlled field.
Idk, maybe I’m overthinking it...
Click to expand...

One of two things can happen, either they keep you in the system or you start anew each time.

1: If you are doing a touch-and-go or landing and immediately taking off again you can tell ATC your entire route of flight on initial callup (e.g. request flight following to ABC and XYZ). As you approach each intermediate airport they will tell you to keep the squawk code, change to advisory, and then report back on the same frequency.

2: If you will be parking the airplane or otherwise on the ground for a noticeable amount of time, just request flight following from scratch after each departure; no need to tell them beforehand that you're planning on calling them back.

There is usually no need to request a frequency change when the time comes as they will often give it to you--or ask you to report the airport in sight, and then give it to. But sometimes the controller might forget about you, or might not realize you're ready to switch for whatever reason, in which case you can prompt them with a "Cessna 123 has ABC in sight", or more assertively, "request frequency change".
 
If your intention is a stop-n-go at a non-towered field (which is actually controlled for Christ's sake) SAY SO.

Something like "Bug Destroyer 666, podunk in sight, I'm gonna do a stop-n-go and return to bigtown, 666"

They'll tell you how they prefer you to re-establish. They could cancel you with the 1200. They could tell you to come back on freq.

[@dmspilot said it more politely.]
 
If you are just doing a T&G or S&G the return to FF, just tell ATC in plain ol english what you wanna do...no fancy lingo needed. They most likely will just tell ya to keep squawk and report back to their frequency one airborne again. No need to fully cancel and reestablish in most cases.

"Norcal, Skyhawk 598...we a gonna do a T&G at Watsonville then like to come right back to you on flight following"

They will typically give you frequency change and cut you loose, but "Norcal, Skyhwak 598, filed in sight" is the universal polite call for "Hey, I wanna a frequency change" if you want it sooner. Works for both towered and uncontrolled fields.
 
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@Carolinaflyer - you are not overthinking and its a good question!

Neither of my CFI's ever did FF and one was out of a Delta and the other was out of uncontrolled so that was one of my first things to do once I got the PPL. I have seen a few variants, all for uncontrolled, such as:

Almost always get this one farther out:
"N12345, Approach, advise when you have the weather for KABC"

Pretty standard termination:
"N12345, Approach, the field is at your 12 o'clock and 18 miles, no traffic advisories, radar services terminated squawk 1200"

Similar but with traffic nearby:
"N12345, Approach, the field is at your 12 o'clock and 18 miles, traffic at your 10 o'clock, 3miles, 3000, heading NW, radar services terminated squawk 1200"

One day with lower visibility (4sm) I got something like this (I thought it was cool of them to do this):
"N12345, Approach, advise field in sight

A couple of times when approaching from a high altitude farther out, something like:
N12345, Approach, descend at your discretion, maintain VFR (this was not a termination but just before it).

Here's a case where the uncontrolled was near a Center->Approach handoff
Center, N12345, request frequency change (getting close, thought they forgot me so I initiated)
N12345, Center, negative, contact approach 134.7 for advisories
...then I switch over and they gave a traffic advisory and terminated.

there are probably more but those come to mind right now.
 
As others have mentioned, the magic words to get permission to change too CTAF is "field in sight" if ATC doesn't drop the hint first by telling you the airport is 8 miles, 12 o'clock. They usually won't cut you loose until you confirm sight of your destination. At a controlled field, you'll get transferred to tower seamlessly. ATC is very friendly and helpful. After a while they will recognize you if you are a frequent flier.
 
Lots of good advices here already. Just one more thing in case you’re not already doing this: monitor the destination airport CTAF frequency way before ATC asks you to change frequency. This way you’re already aware of what’s going on at the airport. And if needed, also report your position as appropriate on CTAF while still on flight following. Don’t feel that you can talk on only one frequency.


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When VFR, I start to select the freq to ask for FF. Then I don't.
 
Congrats on the ticket.

As per Crimson flyer - lots of very good advice.

I’ll just add - don’t hesitate to request flight following service. The more it is requested, the more it will be supported. And yes, occasionally you may get a grumpy controller, but the vast majority realize how much better it is to provide flight following, so they actually know what kind of aircraft you are, how high you are, and where you’re going.

Blue skies.
 
Congrats on getting the license to learn. Good on you for making the effort to go long. Remember that controllers are individuals and that flight following or traffic advisories are available on a not to interfere with IFR workload. That said, you can pretty much expect just about anything from "radar services terminated" as soon as you are out of their way to (what we hear often around here) a thorough list of aircraft in the vicinity of the airport you are going to and instructions to keep your squawk and when to call back.
 
Probably different in other areas, but I wait until things are quiet and tell ATC the plan and if I can retain the squawk like a "through clearance" ... most times I get it, some want to re-type everything.
 
Carolinaflyer said:
Just passed my check ride and I’m planning some xc’s to build confidence and time for ir. Most of these first flights are to uncontrolled fields, out and back with just a stop and go, and I plan to use flight following. My question is this:
As I near my destination, should I inform ATC that I want a frequency change to the field’s CTAF and that I will call them back after I have departed and ready to resume ff for my return trip? Is this proper protocol?
My CFI and I used ff a couple of times in training, but the flights always terminated at a controlled field.
Idk, maybe I’m overthinking it...
Click to expand...

You could do that, tell them you’ll be right back after doing a touch and go. They’ll either tell you stay on the code you are on and give em a call, or they won’t. I wouldn’t spring it on them at the last minute when it’s time to get over CTAF. Start talking about it a few minutes before that and let them know what your next destination is. If it’s busy and the frequency is congested you might not want to do it.
 
Just call them up after you take off. Tune the frequency, listen, if it's busy, wait for a break, say your call sign and vfr request. They will either say stand by or say request. If not busy then spit it all out, give your call sign, report about where you are, where you are going, present altitude and what altitude you are climbing to, VFR, Flight following. 9 times out of 10 they will give you a squawk code, tell you ident and you are good to go. It's easy and worth doing in my opinion.

I came back to flying a little over a year ago. Shortly after my BFR was signed off, I was going on a cross country, after I took off I debated calling Boston approach. Anyway I did, the controller came back and told me to turn right 90 degrees. I said to myself, that's not where I want to go, but I complied with a slow turn, then he came back and told me to expedite the turn, you are a quarter mile from penetrating a restricted area. I turned quick, a minute later he told me proceed on course. I had had a brain fart, I knew that restricted area was there but forgot about it, he saved my bacon. I always call them now and they are great help. Don't worry about stumbling occasionally when talking to the them, I hear the big guys (airlines) struggle every once in a while, no big deal. Do it a few times and it will be old hat. Most want to help, unless they are real busy, a few are grumpy sometimes, but don't let it bug you, it's a tough job.

If you are doing a touch and go, then moving on somewhere else, tell them, they will let you know what to do. If you land and stop, then just call them up after you take off, it's good practice. I fly out of a D mostly now. Usually I'll tell ground where I'm going and ask them to set up flight following. They do so most of the time, they get me a squawk code, frequency to call, and sometimes an initial heading. You repeat that back to them and you are set. The tower will tell you to switch over to departure after you take off. Just give them your call sign, present altitude, what you are climbing to and direction.

I was on another cross country about a week or two ago. I had set up FF with the ground controller and was told to stay clear of the Bravo above the airport. I was going to be under a small section of shelf as I was climbing. It was just me in the plane and it was cold out, so the plane was climbing faster than I anticipated, I had about 3 miles of bravo shelf left, the bravo was 4,000 feet, I was going to 4,500. My plan was to stop at 3,800 until clear of bravo then finish climbing. At 3,500 feet the controller called me and asked my altitude. I told him 3,500 for 4,500 but I would stop at 3,800 until clear bravo. He cleared me to 4,500 and cleared me into the bravo. Once again, an extra set of eyes is a good thing and they are helpful when they can be.
 
I appreciate all the replies and good advise. Weather knocked me out of my flight today and tomorrow isn’t looking too good either, but I’m looking forward to applying what I’ve heard here soon. Thanks again!
 
I am new also and find that FF is fantastic. I’ve heard a few complaints but I’ve had nothing but kind controllers.

It is not your question, but I suggest you stop and get out. Once you are flying friends and family, you are not doing touch and goes. Learn how to get fuel at strange locations, handle parking, grab the crew car etc. You said you are building confidence. That helps in all the areas I mentioned also. My first family XC involved landing at a field with closed taxiways at an uncontrolled field. I was confused and did not know how/who or what frequency to use to ask. All these things are better learned and strengthened in your early hours. Congrats on your ticket.
 
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TheFB said:
I am new also and find that FF is fantastic. I’ve heard a few complaints but I’ve had nothing but kind controllers.

It is not your question, but I suggest you stop and get out. Once you are flying friends and family, you are not doing touch and goes. Learn how to get fuel at strange locations, handle parking, grab the crew car etc. You said you are building confidence. That helps in all the areas I mentioned also. My first family XC involved landing at a field with closed taxiways at an uncontrolled field. I was confused and did not know how/who or what frequency to use to ask. All these things are better learned and strengthened in your early hours. Congrats on your ticket.
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Good advice. Thank you sir!
 
Carolinaflyer said:
That’s hilarious, but now I’m really dreading my first self serve fuel experience!
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Youll forget it quick after your first bill getting fuel to avoid landing fees at a big airport FBO.
 
Carolinaflyer said:
I’m in Charlotte. Flying out of EQY for now. Hoping to buy in the not to distant future. I’m looking for hanger space and not having much luck so far.
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There are a few of us on POA from the Charlotte area. Keep an eye out on here for south east fly-ins. We have one coming up in a couple of weeks at GMU - Greenville SC.
 
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