How To Use VFR Flight Following

How do you pick up VFR flight following from ATC? We'll walk you though how to call ATC, what to tell them, and what you can and can't do on Flight Following.
Bose sponsored this story. Learn more about Bose aviation headsets here: www.bose.com/en_us/products/h...

[@bakkaboi]

Would love to see more of your videos. They have so much more info than most of the others on here and are a great tool and learning opportunity. I hope you can start making more!

[@philip2785]

You folks are doing a great job of educating pilots with clear, concise materials. Well done! CFI Phil

[@moodberry]

You obviously put a lot of work into this. THanks.

[@UAL012]

Pretty cool video. I grew up in Colorado and used to fly out of PUB flying N9614H. As a pilot, I've flown in and out of 1V6 (Florence), COS, and PUB. It's beautiful scenery out there.

[@2Greenlid]

I fly out of KBJC & have traveled to KCYS for cross country trips, great to see local areas..

[@marinamonpere5633]

Very informative. Thanks for posting!

[@eddib17]

Wow, I look up VFR flight following and this is the first video I see. I literally did a XC last night from KFNL to KAPA. using Denver approach.

[@davisandotube]

Good video. Just happened to me a couple days ago. I was with approach fight following and about ten miles from my destination “class D”, approach was extremely busy, I manage to let them know I had airport insight and they let me go. Then switched to tower and they had a busy party themselves. Couldn’t communicate until I was 6 miles away. I squished myself in somehow with tower. I knew I was not going to bust the airspace but it is within a class B, so you only have little room to maneuver. What I didn’t know was if tower was expecting me or not. I called like any other VFR and had to “ident” and everything. It was a relief had them know about me. This is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a D without communicating before. I was thinking about doing a 360 until getting a hold on tower. Good video, thanks

[@BrandonHam]

When I have flight following to a controlled airport, I do not cancel before entering their airspace. I stay on with ATC and they hand me off to tower before entering. Of course, if they forget or don’t hand me off (or clear me through) for whatever reason, it’s still my responsibility not to enter, so a 360 would be a good idea.

[@s3oodi1]

Love this channel

[@Boldmethod]

Thanks!

[@jakew9887]

Great presentation. Thanks

[@gbigsangle3044]

If leaving controlled airports you will get a VFR or IFR clearance for departure and a departure TRACON frequency. TRACON will hand you over to ARTCC once enroute. You can always fly over any Bravo if high enough. When approaching towered airports you will be handed over from enroute ARTCC to TRACON approach control. Usually 20 or more miles out. Approach will clear you into the airspace and hand you over to the tower when closer.

[@DownTheRabbit-Hole]

What you say has also been my experience. Charlie airspace at KSNA VFR and IFR Clearance delivery is a good example to confirm your statement. Could also depend on ATC LOA's. Center will say Cessna xxxxxx contact approach xxx.xx and that is your handoff, Approach will handoff say Cessna xxxxxx Contact Tower xxx.xx. Somewhere they will want to know intentions.

[@tannerb55]

Great video

[@shalicgraw5280]

I enjoyed these Ty

[@AUBravo15]

How did you get your flight instrument data into your dash cam footage?

[@BladeTrinity99]

Great video and really helpful

[@sailhavasu]

That was an awesome video. Thanks !!

[@aukai]

One of the 172s I fly out of centennial was on with atc ha! N12170

[@1stinsonguy]

I've read where the radar facility which has agreed to give flight following has the responsibility to coordinate your travel through controlled airspace with the proper facility. Common sense tells me if there's a question about who to talk to and when, ask well before reaching the controlled airspace.

[@BrandonHam]

I have never asked tower for permission to enter their airspace while under flight following. I do always double check with the controller I’m currently talking to that I’m allowed transition through the delta I’m approaching. That said, I never assume I’m cleared through; I always need to hear it, just not necessarily from the tower.

[@jusgettnby]

Thanks for the awesome video. Very educational. What system are you using to record your flight with the information tapes displayed. That's awesome.

[@OBENSquad_21]

flight following will definitely hand you over to tower in due time, I learned this the hard way when I kept asking them if they wanted me to contact tower hahahah

[@andrewkamau6186]

Thats exactly what i thought

[@hglide82]

Thank you for posting such a great video! I'm currently studying for my private pilot certificate and look forward to checking out all of your videos and watching them multiple times. You popped up for me and you have 51k+1 subs and climbing! :-) keep up the great work and stay positive your channel will continue to grow! :-)

[@lyingcat9022]

Can the PIC and CP be on 2 different frequencies/radios? So the PIC could switch to the next towered airspace and make 2 way contact prior to entering. While the CP stays on the freq. with Center or whoever is providing Flight Services until they get a chance to terminate Flight Following? I’m not a Pilot but in the Army while on Convoy the Convoy Commander will always have multiple radios in their vehicle. This way they can communicate with Battalion on their Freq. while someone else in the vehicle stays on the internal convoy frequency to stay in contact with all the other vehicles.

[@erickkabler8018]

I really enjoy professional, well edited aviations videos. I learn something every time I watch a video. Thank you! I also would like to know the overlay process you are using.

[@Boldmethod]

Thanks Erick! Our VFX team creates the HUD in-house. Beyond that, we can't say any more ;)

[@ExnersRange]

what a very pretty plane

[@twc9000]

Usually, approach control will tell you to switch to tower before you enter tower’s airspace but you are right that sometimes they don’t. Instead of requesting termination of flight following, I request frequency change to tower. I think it’s basically the same thing. Correct me if I’m wrong.

[@bodhikai2505]

if you request flight following and give them a destination airport they will tell you to switch frequencies at some point and the ATC will already know who you are and you just tell them (example): Jim Bob Approach, 9MB, with you, 3 thousand

[@rmaha1965]

Awesome video. As a VFR pilot who is (severely) non-current, this video and you other ones go a great length to banging the mental rust off of long ago learned procedures. Will be brushing up before climbing into a plane with an instructor in the spring. Thanks.

[@Boldmethod]

Glad you liked it Rob!

[@jakejones5736]

I'm gonna wager that I'm far more severely non-current than you. Flew a couple years ago but hated all the new nonsensical stuff the instructor had me change, and he was older than me!

[@gbigsangle3044]

Listen to www.liveatc.net for radio practice.

[@DownTheRabbit-Hole]

Recommend X-Plane 11, Airfoil Labs 172sp, and Pilotedge .net (real human simulated ATC, includes ratings) to "augment" and keep skills up to date. Flight Sims are outstanding and have come a long way, especially for IFR skills. Nothing beats a CFII, but they can be expensive. I don't have any affiliations with aforementioned companies. Happy flying.

[@mattfojtik7130]

Great video. I'm curious, how were you able to overlay your G1000 instruments on your video feed at the beginning of the video? Is there a way to download that info from your Cirrus? Or did you generate it with some other tool? In any case, it looks awesome.

[@Boldmethod]

Hi Matt, our VFX team does the overlay in-house. Thanks for watching!

[@IFlySRQ]

I was wondering the same thing. How do they do this in house?

[@Southparker100000000]

It's just an overlay,, it's not the real flight data

[@FWDSlip]

Great information. How would you communicate with a class C or D if you are on flight following and your flight path would go through their airspace?

[@ReflectedMiles]

You would expect and allow the controller to do his or her job of coordination, verifying with him or her if there is any cause to doubt or you felt uncomfortable about the situation (i.e., getting close to the arrival airport without being handed off to tower frequency). Otherwise, the center or approach controller will switch you over if or when they need you to talk to the other facility. This video contains a number of errors, including a controller questioning one of them starting at 06:30 .

[@TheWindigomonster]

You may have answered my question in the video and I just missed it, but as a student pilot I´ve had a question about VFR flight following that I cant seem to get answered from anywhere online: Say I´m doing a cross country in my flight schools 1980 Cessna 152, and somewhere in the middle of the trip I get turned around over a rural area in class E airspace, and I´m not sure of my position. If I´m using VFR flight following, would the center I´m talking to be able to see my position and give me vectors, or is this only available in airspace with radar capability? If they´re able to vector you out in class E, it would definitely be an added layer of comfort especially in an older airplane.

[@gbigsangle3044]

Yes. If you are being followed and are high enough ARTCC will have your position on radar and you can ask them that question. But be aware they will wonder why you don't know where you are...so make sure you preface your remark with "student pilot" and they will help you all the way back home.

[@mytech6779]

Just for anyone reading this in the future, flight following is a slang term. The proper phrase is VFR radar services. So you will never have flight following without radar coverage, when coverage is lost ATC will say "N123AB contact lost radar services terminated" and if you gave them your basic route they might tell you the next fix where coverage starts and the radio frequency. It would be best if you are concerned with becoming lost and without GPS, is to follow victor airways and stay above the minimum enroute altitude[MEA] marked on IFR charts as this altitude ensures VOR signal coverage. If you don't have any of this nav equipment the simple answer is to "git gud". In the modern 48 states the only places without radar coverage above about 2000ft agl are deep in the mountains. Now the good thing is that in the mountains there are lots of large landmarks to keep you oriented. The other lack of radar is when you get a few dozen miles over the ocean and the radar just doesn't bend over the earth's curve, here you only have your compass, GPS, and memory of which coast you are most near. (and it becomes a weaker signal because of distance)

[@boogerwood]

If you’re talking to approach and they clear you “through” Delta air space, that’s all you need right? That literally just happened to me yesterday and I assumed that was OK. Was I supposed to contact the tower in the delta air space? Even though I was just passing through?

[@fidikvien7682]

I've also seen people ask the flight following controller to facilitate the D transition for them... all about communication

[@AV8OR51]

Great information. Thank you for the video. I am curious about the flight data overlay on the video. Can you please share the details?

[@Boldmethod]

Our VFX team creates the HUD in-house. Beyond that, we can't say any more ;)

[@davidbauman6929]

AV8OR 4n

[@Ty05031]

Why do you only have 38k subs .... you should have wayyyyy more.

[@Boldmethod]

We haven't created a lot of videos to-date, but we have a lot more on the way!

[@unlisted773]

It's 77K now! 🤟

[@2Greenlid]

Looking forward to more videos, I’m a student at KBJC (McAir)

[@sucram9368]

Thanks ... good explanation!

[@mytech6779]

All of the flight following I have had provide a hand off to class D, C, and B towers with discrete squawk. I only get "Radar service terminated squawk VFR" when approaching class E and G airports. In WA and OR. Though a lot of the flight following here is handled by tracon rather than center. Similar I have had class D and C towers, where I originally came in on flight following, ask if I want flight following while I'm on the ground and give me a squawk code at takeoff.

[@ReflectedMiles]

Stick with what you learned. The instruction and example in this video is inferior to it. See my full comment for more info.

[@mytech6779]

@@ReflectedMiles I'm not sure where you learned to internet but nobody is going to go dig around for some vague mystery comment by a random user.

[@ReflectedMiles]

@@mytech6779 There aren't many comments under this video and if you are sorting by the most recent, my full comment on the video will be at or near the top. Not that difficult. After I posted it, I noticed that there was at least one other commenter who made the same points and laid out the FAA refs besides.

[@mytech6779]

@@ReflectedMiles Meh.

[@ReflectedMiles]

@@mytech6779 Nobody said you had to engage; just an offer of more info.

[@thefilmguy]

I wonder if ADS-B will change the need for flight following.

[@DownTheRabbit-Hole]

Good question!

[@TonyP9279]

Is Flight Following like "Basic Service" in Europe?

[@mytech6779]

I do not know basic service. Flight following is a not the official name. The true name is Visual flight rules radar services. The pilot is flying with visual flight rules and makes radio contact with air traffic control. If ATC is not busy with IFR traffic and can pick up the VFR on radar then they follow the VFR flight on radar to assist with avoiding nearby traffic and some other information like changes in weather or restricted airspaces. The service is also useful in an emergency because contact and tracking is established which saves time. The flight remains under VFR and does not follow instrument flight rules. All VFR radar service is classified as supplemental information, the pilot remains responsible for safety of the flight and all navigation decisions, ATC is not not legally responsible for the flight.

[@GunniesLetsFlyVFR]

Great video .. supper informative. :) Subscribed.

[@KSCPERFECT]

as per As per JO 7110.65 ATC, Coordinate with the appropriate control tower for transit authorization when you are providing radar traffic advisory service to an aircraft that will enter another facility's airspace. in the atl area they usually coordinate it, when in doubt just ask! "Hello approach, skyhawk 1234ab just wanted to verify that we are cleared to enter xyz airspace?"

[@bradleys2320]

If rated, why not just file an IFR plan to help navigate complex airspace, especially when dodging weather?

[@semperflyer797]

What would happen if you were at your cruise altitude and started to experience symptoms of hypoxia and the radio frequency was so busy you couldn't make a call to let them know you were going to descend but went ahead and entered 7700 as your squawk code and hit the ident button as you started to descend. Undoubtedly the 7700 squawk with the ident sets off alarms of some sort for the controllers, but is it the same as squawking VFR in that the controller will lose your aircraft information? If so, is this part of the reasoning and idea behind ADS-B?

[@erichert1001]

You don't need to ident if you put in 7700. As soon as put 7700 in every controller that has you on their radar will see it. I'm pretty sure that if you had been using an assigned squawk code they will still have your tail-number associated with the radar contact it will just have the emergency indicator added to it.

[@MikeRetsoc]

When using flight following, you dont need a clearance to descend, so long as the descent doesn't take you into controlled airspace. So, just descend. Or descend at turn away. Remember the priorities: Avigate, Navigate, Communicate, in that sequence. (Or, simply: "Fly the plane first.")

[@semperflyer797]

MikeRetsoc guess you’ve never been given the “advise me prior to any altitude changes” instruction or don’t take into account that the controller is expecting you to be at the altitude you requested flight following at unless you requested a block altitude.

[@MikeRetsoc]

You guessed incorrectly, Paul. I have, like most pilots, been given that instruction. Nonetheless, if you add facts to your original question, then the answers may change. That said, if you want to squawk 7700 when its avoidable, go right ahead.

[@semperflyer797]

MikeRetsoc add what facts?

[@mts982]

what about going around?

[@michaell9811]

Why would they bring you on a right base for 12L? is it because traffic is departing 12R?

[@jocamero]

They were coming in from the south, so likely because parking is to the north at KBJC. Easier to land 12L, make a quick left on A5 ( or possibly A5, A, runway 3, B3) to parking. Otherwise if you land 12R, you might need to wait for landing traffic to cross 12L to park.

[@surebrah]

Since you were south of the airport, why did ATC clear you to join base? Don't you have to join the downwind 1st?

[@2Greenlid]

That’s is standard, but I have had ATC have me come in at different legs, including extended final at times, whatever works within their flow

[@marcelonardella7070]

How do you have the video of the window with the data of airspeed and altitude ? What kind of software is that ?

[@scarter176]

Remember the TCA ? We were all just going to be good buddies.......lol then came class Bravo .......soon after ADS B they will send you a ticket/fine in the Mail. Just being your buddy of course. :)

[@iliketoflystuff9354]

If you're talking to an approach control just ask permission to transition through the Class Delta. They'll coordinate with the tower.

[@jakejones5736]

That was my thought. If a controller, ANY controller, authorizes entry into a particular airspace, then you are legal to enter and any issues with you being there is on THEM.

[@ReluctantPost]

Ask them to do their job? Seems like somewhere between redundant and offensive.

[@btsgator]

Only small/incorrect thing I saw was when he switched from approach to tower and said he was "with you". I've been told that not appropriate to say but haven't been told what the correct vocabulary is for that type of situation. Opinions?

[@finalapproach]

"With you" is entirely redundant and unnecessary. Much like starting a radio call with an "And..."

[@lyingcat9022]

It’s like saying “Whatever Tower, Skyhawk 12345, I am currently talking to you on this radio frequency, 10 miles North East at 12 thousand feet”. ATC would probably be like “Yeah no shit, I can hear you talking in my ear....”. Just tell them who and where you are.

[@ReflectedMiles]

See my recent response. There are a number of misconceptions and errors in this video. The reason "with you" would be used is simply to acknowledge that you are on another sector's or facility's frequency that you were handed off to. Since he evaded the handoff, the call made no sense.

[@stingerjc]

You should have done more research. While on flight following with a radar controller, the controller will do the appropriate coordination for any airspace along your route. From the ATC rulebook, 7110.65, this is what controllers are required to do. 2−1−16. SURFACE AREAS a. Coordinate with the appropriate nonapproach control tower on an individual aircraft basis before issuing a clearance which would require flight within a surface area for which the tower has responsibility unless otherwise specified in a letter of agreement. REFERENCE− FAA Order JO 7210.3, Para 4−3−1, Letters of Agreement. 14 CFR Section 91.127, Operating on or in the Vicinity of an Airport in Class E Airspace. P/CG Term− Surface Area. b. Coordinate with the appropriate control tower for transit authorization when you are providing radar traffic advisory service to an aircraft that will enter another facility’s airspace. NOTE− The pilot is not expected to obtain his/her own authorization through each area when in contact with a radar facility. c. Transfer communications to the appropriate facility, if required, prior to operation within a surface area for which the tower has responsibility. REFERENCE− FAA Order JO 7110.65, Para 2−1−17, Radio Communications Transfer. FAA Order JO 7110.65, Para 3−1−11, Surface Area Restrictions. FAA Order JO 7110.65, Para 7−6−1, Application. 14 CFR Section 91.129, Operations in Class D Airspace Also, Denver Approach controls Pueblo airspace and will switch you to the tower with no coordination required. That's why you he had you remain on your present beacon code, since you already had a datablock on the tower's radar screen. No need to tell tower where you are or what you want, they already know all the information and assume you have the ATIS since that's approach's job to verify.

[@daffidavit]

Once I asked flight following if I needed to call the tower to go through a remote D class airspace along the way to my destination airport. Approach told me they automatically call the tower and clear us through all other Deltas. But I still usually ask the controller anyway if I'm cleared through the class delta. This was in the NYC area. Maybe they have letters of agreement. But the comment by stingerjc above me sees to make this clear. He cites from an ATC rule book, not an FAA regulation, so I'm not sure of the true answer.

[@stingerjc]

The 7110.65 is an FAA Order. Doesn't get much more regulatory than that.

[@Boldmethod]

Stingerjc - you're right about Pueblo and the FAA Air Traffic publications. However, the transition isn't always coordinated and not all Class D airports have letters of agreement in place for VFR Flight Following. Both Centennial (KAPA) and Rocky Mountain Metro (KBJC) in the Denver area don't follow Pueblo's procedure - and have had issues with VFR aircraft entering the Class Delta while still in contact with approach. And - the FARs create a grey area that does not absolve the pilot from contacting tower. The pilot must contact the ATC facility providing air traffic services inside that airspace prior to entering the airspace. We produced this video after receiving bulletins from Air Traffic facilities concerned with VFR aircraft entering Class D airspace under flight following. And we worked with the facility managers at several facilities to verify the procedures that pilots should follow to avoid entering Class Delta airspace without tower coordination. While the FAA Air Traffic publications expect the controller to coordinate - it doesn't always happen. And from multiple perspectives, it's the pilot's responsability to establish communication.

[@stingerjc]

If a pilot is just staying outside the Delta, and then cuts in suddenly, yeah there isn't really any time for the approach controller to coordinate and that would be on the pilot. If the pilot tells approach their intention to fly into a Delta along their route, it gives the controller plenty of time to either coordinate or terminate radar service and let you contact tower. If in doubt, like always, remain clear and ask on frequency if you can enter or if you should contact tower.

[@redletters2104]

You should have listened more clearly - he is only discussing entry into the airspace at which he is landing.

[@BanterEdits]

I don't understand anything but it's an airplane video so I don't really care.

[@asokoniso]

Interpretation for the regular viewer: Don't trespass. And if you want in, let them know you want to trespass.

[@Boldmethod]

Whether you understood it all or not, we hope you enjoyed it! - Boldmethod

[@gbigsangle3044]

Don't pilot a plane and you will be fine.

[@evanlackey3219]

Anyone thinking of the uncanny valley?

[@AdamKasprzyk]

how to prepare all those details (live speed, altitute ect.) on a video? App? an option in G1000 ?

[@aurboda]

Is that a super awesome robot?

[@danielyoussef6027]

Why are you guys wearing o2 in a cirrus vfr

[@abbysnowmist]

Daniel Youssef probably because they are above 12500 ft.

[@2Greenlid]

They were at 13,500

[@philipclinder1]

Whats that thing you all are wearing on your face?

[@Boldmethod]

Hi Phil, those are nasal cannulas for oxygen. We're required to wear them if we're above 12,500' for more than 30 minutes, and any time above 14,000'. Thanks for asking!

[@gbigsangle3044]

Oxygen cannulas. The "white moustache" connecting you to the oxygen system.

[@sakumisan]

The guy on the radio that didn't understand airspace limitations worries me. Why would you fly without having that understanding?

[@ReluctantPost]

The guy making the video doesn’t understand them, so no surprise somebody else didn’t.

[@SherSingh-mk9th]

Student pilot here: Are those oxygen masks that I see below the nose?

[@tijon1350]

they are wearing nasal cannulas for oxygen.

[@DavidBerquist334]

I thought you call the tower when you intercept the localizer I'm not a certified pilot

[@monelfunkawitz3966]

1:44 - Looks like you guys flew through a flock of maxi pads.

[@RealIcemansmooth]

Looks like the parachute isn't ready to go

[@ReflectedMiles]

*Poor practice and explanation at **06:30**, and you didn't learn from the controller's response. He responded to you as he did for a reason. Instead of learning and teaching your viewers / readers the best way to operate which the controller was expecting, you went ahead and taught them your way which is significantly inferior and creates extra workload for ATC.* I'm bolding this because so many comments from students and refreshing pilots here and on your website suggest they are otherwise just rolling with these explanations / example as correct. So where is a list of all applicable references for your statements regarding flight following, ATC (lack of) coordination, and when radar service is / is not normally terminated? You need to teach your readers / viewers the actual rules, not your opinions. If you don't know them, as the video suggests, then please don't play an authority on TV and make videos anyway. Do your homework first. This video is heavy on opinions, and some of them are misguided or simply wrong with respect to both the rules (regulatory and not) and actual operations. You just asked a tower controller? If that's what the tower controller said to you, your next question should be, "Really? Why did your colleagues at the TRACON providing the flight following let you down so often?" This is a team effort between controllers and pilots and the more seamless it works, the easier and better managed it is for everyone's benefit, including safety. Pilots trying to learn how to operate by watching this video would certainly do well to be aware of the Class D requirement (and especially Class B clearance requirements, which are not automatic just because one is in contact with ATC) but they also need to talk the subject over with others who have significant ATC experience, particularly in and around the airspace where they are flying. Each will vary a bit depending on the particulars of the airspace and agreements between facilities for how they will handle certain types of traffic.

[@snowmobile488]

Why are you guys on oxygen? Not from Wyoming like me?

[@pywaketpilot]

They're at 13500 feet. Above 12500 feet oxygen is required for essential crew for anything over 30 minutes. You can go up to 14000 for 30 minutes. Plus, it's just the smart and safe thing to do if you have it available - you think more clearly and your vision is better (especially at night).

[@SensorDelay]

Nice plastic mustaches btw

[@tigdogsbody]

Those white moustaches look ridiculous; a "top gunner" would never look so silly.

[@NETBotic]

IMO this is a bad example of how to request flight following. First, you shouldn't say your request in the initial call. Second, you should give the aircraft type and equipment suffix without being asked.

[@ThatLooksAboutRight]

Yeah I am going to call horse hockey on this entire video. If approach or center lets you roll through a Class D, it's because ATC screwed up. It never used to be like this. This video is making excuses for poor ATC. This video goes into the circular file. Waste of time putting it together.

[@SuperDirtyLion]

How is Approach letting an a/c transition through a Delta a screw-up? Maybe I'm missunderstanding you but ATC can coordinate with eachother to let a/c through eachothers airspace without transferring communications of said a/c to the other facility/tower

[@ReflectedMiles]

@@SuperDirtyLion It's not--that's the point. The controllers do coordination and handoff for VFR aircraft they are choosing to provide radar service to per the regs. Class B requires a specific clearance, but the rest of this video is not how pilots should be trained or operating.

[@BladeTrinity99]

Great video and really helpful