New text format for easy activate easy close

[William Pete Hodges]

Leidos Flight service has changed the text message portion of Easy Activate / Easy Close for VFR Flight Plans as it applies to text messages only. The previous system might not include the link in the text message if there is a character count limit on each text. The new format is as follows:


Leidos Flight Service (1800wxbrief.com). System will respond to each user command.

Reply "1" to enter the activate/cancel menu for N1935Y scheduled to depart KCJR at 1330Z.

1

Reply "Y" to activate now.
Reply with "hhmmZ" to activate with new time.
Reply "C" to cancel flight.
Reply "X" for main menu.

C

CN1935Y departing KCJR has been canceled at 1256Z. Thank you for using Leidos Flight Service.

 

[William Pete Hodges]

The X command simply backs out to the previous menu, or closes the existing one. This applies to VFR Flight Plans only.

An activated VFR Flight Plan enables flight progress tracking though satellite commutators like SPOT or InReach. When using these devices in tracking mode 4 stationary position reports, or 4 missed position intervals, will begin SAR procedures. To avoid problems with extra position reports I now turn on my SPOT and send my Okay message before starting the engine and before my flight plan is activated, and I don't turn on tracking until after the runup or just before taking the runway. This way Leidos Flight Service only sees the tracking reports from takeoff, not extra stationary messages on the ground. As long as each new message shows movement from the previous position no SAR action is taken and their automated system doesn't get confused. Multiple position messages on the ground with little or no movement can confuse their system so this prevents that from occurring.

 

[William Pete Hodges]

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www.1800wxbrief.com

Here is a link describing their Easy Activate / Easy Close system in more detail.