Will Filing Flight Plan with Foreflight Always Work?

[MBDiagMan]

I was doing some reading about filing flight plans. They indicated that flight plans filed with DUATS will not always make it in the system.

SO... can I depend on a flight plan filed with Foreflight to be entered into the system properly and be ready for me to call them to open it, or will that phone call result in a surprise when they don't have it.

Most of my flying has been done locally, but I'm getting ready for a long trip next month so I'm brushing up on filing flight plans. I have never filed one with Foreflight.

 

[MAKG1]

You get feedback right away from Foreflight when you file.

And it's FAST. I filed my first STAR incorrectly, and got a phone call from FSS about it within a minute.

If, somehow, it doesn't get in the system, you can make a new VFR flight plan on the spot. IFR as well, but it may result in a hold for release.

 

[midlifeflyer]

I was doing some reading about filing flight plans. They indicated that flight plans filed with DUATS will not always make it in the system.

SO... can I depend on a flight plan filed with Foreflight to be entered into the system properly and be ready for me to call them to open it, or will that phone call result in a surprise when they don't have it.

Most of my flying has been done locally, but I'm getting ready for a long trip next month so I'm brushing up on filing flight plans. I have never filed one with Foreflight.

You can depend on it as well as any other technology that transmits information. Stuff happens.

When LockMart took over flight service, there was a problem with flight plans getting into the system, even those electronically acknowledged. It hardly mattered how you filed them. I would fairly often hear pilots calling a TRACON to open a flight plan and being told they didn't have it.

But it's been literally years since I last heard about that happening.

 

[dukeblue219]

I was doing some reading about filing flight plans. They indicated that flight plans filed with DUATS will not always make it in the system.

SO... can I depend on a flight plan filed with Foreflight to be entered into the system properly and be ready for me to call them to open it, or will that phone call result in a surprise when they don't have it.

Most of my flying has been done locally, but I'm getting ready for a long trip next month so I'm brushing up on filing flight plans. I have never filed one with Foreflight.

I've never had an issue with it, and you get confirmation from the ATC system that your plan has been received. You should get a thumbs-up in Foreflight plus an email confirmation.

 

[MBDiagMan]

Thanks very much for the information guys! This allows me to scratch off one more thing on my trip prep list.

 

[James331]

A VFR flight plan? Haven't filed one of those since I was a student.


I'd just go with flight following

 

[petrolero]

Foreflight doesn't use DUAT unless you enter DUAT credentials. If you don't enter them then it files with LockMart, which is preferable since filing through Lockheed Martin allows you to amend your plan.

Delete your DUAT credentials to file with LockMart.

Either way, you'll get notification when your flight plan is successfully filed.

I've never had one not in the system unless it timed out or something.

 

[MAKG1]

A VFR flight plan? Haven't filed one of those since I was a student.


I'd just go with flight following

Doesn't always work. When it fails is often when you need it most.

It's better to have both.

If I fly to Nevada, I'm virtually guaranteed to get dropped by Center somewhere along the way, probably in the high mountains.

 

[DesertNomad]

Doesn't always work. When it fails is often when you need it most.

It's better to have both.

If I fly to Nevada, I'm virtually guaranteed to get dropped by Center somewhere along the way, probably in the high mountains.

Really? I have flown from Reno to the Sacramento area and I have always been picked up by Oakland Center after NorCal.

 

[Jeff Oslick]

Really? I have flown from Reno to the Sacramento area and I have always been picked up by Oakland Center after NorCal.

There are many areas of NW Nevada and the Eastern Sierras where there is zero ATC coverage below ~10,000'. In the Owen's Valley, they typically drop you a few miles north of Independence.

 

[MAKG1]

Really? I have flown from Reno to the Sacramento area and I have always been picked up by Oakland Center after NorCal.

I've flown that route, too.

And found a coverage gap between Donner Summit and Nyack at 9000.

Its worse further south where the mountains are higher -- and the terrain much more remote.

 

[uncreative]

Last sunday departing ktrk westbound Oakland center was swamped and didn't respond to at least 4 flight following requests, 1 from me. A VFR flight plan over the Sierras is never a bad idea. And to stay on topic, I've never had an issue filing ifr or vfr via foreflight.

 

[midlifeflyer]

A VFR flight plan? Haven't filed one of those since I was a student.


I'd just go with flight following

Depends on where you are going. There are areas where radar coverage is poor. There are times ATC is too busy to handle you.

You mentioned "since you were a student." Although it was brought home to me later, flying in the Rockies (much of it below radar and even communication coverage for light pistons), I learned its importance on my long solo cross country as a student pilot.

Unforecast lowering ceilings (but still VFR) made me change course while I was en route. I really, really, wanted to get Flight Following. But call as much as I might, I could not get a response. The same unforecast lowering ceilings that made my fledgling self really want to have the benefit of speaking with ATC, also meant that ATC was suddenly busier than they expected, meaning no "as workload permits" service for VFR pilots.

Lesson learned: The time you want Flight Following the most may be the time you can't get it. Not too bad to have that VFR flight plan there.

 

[Jason608]

Foreflight doesn't use DUAT unless you enter DUAT credentials. If you don't enter them then it files with LockMart, which is preferable since filing through Lockheed Martin allows you to amend your plan.

I had DUATS credentials entered at one time, it failed once in a while so I removed the credentials. So now everything goes through LM. But, I liked the idea of keeping a log associated with DUATS, so I entered my DUATS credentials but flight plans are still filed through LM and do not show up on the DUATS web site. So I just keep them removed now.

 

[petrolero]

I had DUATS credentials entered at one time, it failed once in a while so I removed the credentials. So now everything goes through LM. But, I liked the idea of keeping a log associated with DUATS, so I entered my DUATS credentials but flight plans are still filed through LM and do not show up on the DUATS web site. So I just keep them removed now.

Roger.

Does LM have a log? My guess is that they have to keep that stuff someplace but I have no idea if we have access to it via the site.

Foreflight also will send emails and one could keep track that way too.

 

[James331]

Depends on where you are going. There are areas where radar coverage is poor. There are times ATC is too busy to handle you.

You mentioned "since you were a student." Although it was brought home to me later, flying in the Rockies (much of it below radar and even communication coverage for light pistons), I learned its importance on my long solo cross country as a student pilot.

Unforecast lowering ceilings (but still VFR) made me change course while I was en route. I really, really, wanted to get Flight Following. But call as much as I might, I could not get a response. The same unforecast lowering ceilings that made my fledgling self really want to have the benefit of speaking with ATC, also meant that ATC was suddenly busier than they expected, meaning no "as workload permits" service for VFR pilots.

Lesson learned: The time you want Flight Following the most may be the time you can't get it. Not too bad to have that VFR flight plan there.

I did my student time in the PNW, I get what you're saying, but if you're really concerned ether go IFR or buy a spot/spider tracks.

Also for all things filing I'd go with FltPlan over foreflight, got them both, use them both daily, just FltPlan is a much much better tool for flight plans and fuel burn/flight time planning.

 

[Jason608]

Roger.

Does LM have a log? My guess is that they have to keep that stuff someplace but I have no idea if we have access to it via the site.

Foreflight also will send emails and one could keep track that way too.

Foreflight uses a generic "Foreflight" account to file flight plans. I would hope in a future release we could use our LM account and view the log that way. Or maybe FF Web will take over everything.

 

[ahkahn]

I've filed over a hundred IFR flights using ForeFlight and have never had a problem or a "lost" flight plan. Works every time like a charm!

 

[Theboys]

In the last 8 months I have had it fail twice. Not bad I think for as many times as I have filed. Both times wasn't real big deal. One time had to dial up fss on neb Kansas line and next time tampa just gave me a partial, real quick and then they gave me complete one in maybe 10 minutes.

 

[Theboys]

They actually don't seem as perturbed for not finding your filed flight plan as asking for a pop up seems like.

 

[AustinPilot]

Roger.

Does LM have a log? My guess is that they have to keep that stuff someplace but I have no idea if we have access to it via the site.

Foreflight also will send emails and one could keep track that way too.

Yes, Lockheed maintains all of this information. It's just tied in via tail number rather than a user's LM profile.

 

[narchee]

I had an IFR flight I had filed with foreflight disappear on me going up to Oshkosh. I took off from an uncontrolled airport and tried to pick up my clearance in the air. I was close to a Class C airport so was talking with an approach controller and they were busy so that sucked a little when they said there was no plan on record. The controller took care of it for me and filed for me so it was okay.

 

[AustinPilot]

I had an IFR flight I had filed with foreflight disappear on me going up to Oshkosh. I took off from an uncontrolled airport and tried to pick up my clearance in the air. I was close to a Class C airport so was talking with an approach controller and they were busy so that sucked a little when they said there was no plan on record. The controller took care of it for me and filed for me so it was okay.

Often times in these cases the plan went to a Center facility rather than the TRACON.

 

[Bill Watson]

I've found the FF filing of IFR plans to be great. I guess I'm doing the Lockheed thing but I'm sure I started with DUATs.

For my flight today, I filed 2 plans last night then amended one this morning. I got confirmations that they were rec'd almost immediately. Then close to departure I got the routing (direct). When I landed at a lunch stop, the routing for the next leg came thru. I like the newish "do you want me to load this into your map function". Since this leg had Victor airways and stuff down the FL coast it saved time.

And, for the first time ever, I was able to anticipate an acceptable routing. Of course that screwed up ATC who cleared me at least 3 times for my 'as filed' routing.