Fly VFR like IFR

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Photo: illustration by Robert Goyer

I was reviewing last week’s spate of accidents and ran into another handful that fall clearly in the category of VFR accidents that would not have happened had the pilot been operating under instrument flight rules. A couple of these accidents happened when the pilot flew into power lines while en route, something that, obviously, would not happen while on an IFR flight plan.

As you know, there’s nothing that prevents an instrument-rated pilot from filing and flying an IFR flight plan in clear weather, and many pilots, myself included, often do just that. There are many benefits, including the controller taking responsibility for your traffic separation, for clearing you through or keeping you away from active special use airspace and for providing altitudes and routing that (if followed, it goes without saying) ensure terrain clearance. You’re also protected against inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), since none of your routings or procedures need to change just because you find yourself in the clouds. Except in the case of ice or extreme weather, IMC is a total non-emergency.

For those pilots who choose not to file an IFR flight plan for whatever reason, including the possibility that they are not IFR rated, there’s a lot to be said for flying a VFR flight as though you were on an instrument flight plan by asking for VFR flight following and by conducting the flight and comporting yourself as if you were flying IFR.

With flight following the level of service is substantially less than it is when you’re on an IFR flight plan. The controller can, in fact, cancel flight following at any time. In most cases, if they’re not very busy, the controllers are happy to help. The benefits to you are many. You get traffic advisories (though no mandatory separation), flight tracking (nice for peace of mind if anything were to go wrong) and easy if not automatic transition into Class Charlie or Bravo airspace when you’re in the arrival mode.

Using flight following also enforces a kind of discipline that goes a long way toward improving safety of flight, even for those pilots not instrument rated or current. Best of all, the service is still 100 percent free of charge.

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Submitted by Baden Aviation on July 07, 2011.

The great thing about flight following is you can start it while you’re enroot. Its supper easy for VFR pilots to schedule and provides great experience talking to controllers. I find flight following extremely convenient when flying into area I am not familiar with and have precious cargo (my wife) on board. I recommend VFR flight following any time you go into busy airspace.
http://badenaviation.com

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Submitted by tonkyman on July 07, 2011.

I used flight following for the first time last week when I was flying at night. I highly recommend flight following, especially at night. It's great peace of mind knowing someone is watching out for you.

I do wish there were more information written about how to use flight following. Sort of a step by step tutorial would be nice. I read a PDF file from VansAirForce.net www.vansairforce.net/articles/FlightFollowing.pdf that really helped me and maybe it will someone else.

Flight following is much easier to use than I thought it would be and the controllers were very nice and helpful. My destination was in class C and they vectored me around to keep me out of some wake turbulence. Just follow the instructions your given and it's a piece of cake.

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Submitted by iused2fly on July 07, 2011.

I agree totally, Robert. There is no reason why a VFR flight needs to be operated any less safely, or less professionally, than an IFR trip. No reason why the VFR pilot should not challenge his/herself by maintaining heading +/- five degrees (inside the bug) and altitude +/- 20 feet. No reason why the instruments should not be scanned regularly, despite the regulatory requirement to keep your eyes outside the cockpit. Use every tool at your disposal, like ATIS broadcasts available on the VOR frequency or ARCAL (Aircraft Radio-Controlled Aerodrome Lighting).

My IFR ticket taught me to fly with greater precision, enhanced professionalism and firmer discipline when operating VFR. No need to land that plane on the button when the first available taxiway is 2000 feet down the runway. Be on the ground in the first third and you'll never come up short. Why not adjust heading for crosswinds while flying all four legs of the pattern, as the IFR pilot does in the holding pattern?

Why would you fail do a thorough weather briefing before climbing into your personal magic carpet, even on a CAVOK day? Why wouldn't you brief your passengers on how to egress the airplane in an emergency? Why stretch your range to the limit when a quick fuel stop would add at most 20-30 minutes to your trip, allow you to arrive with adequate VFR reserves and give your pax a chance to stretch their legs? You know those cheapo fuel gauges that come as "standard equipment"? They are less accurate in the last half of their travel, so why would you expose yourself to additional risk merely to save a few minutes? Natural risk takers in business or professionals need to leave that foolishness on the ground or take up a hobby that cannot kilor maim innocent passengers.

No reason why VFR pilots should flirt with obstacles or cruise below the highest point in that sector of the sectional. That is the VFR equivalent of the MOCA in IFR flight. Avoid non-standard radio phraseologyand fight the urge to show off by flying under bridges or buzzing your friend's house. Safe flying is largely an excercise in conformism so save your stunts for your desktop flight sim where they belong, or get an aerobatic endorsement. Any pilot who deliberately scares a passengers is assinine and should have his ticket pulled for long enough to see the folly of his ways.

Remember those aviation axioms that were drummed into you in groundschool? Safety first. Fly normal approaches at 1.3 Vso plus a sensible correction for your estimated weight at destination and for strong winds/gusts. High and fast beat the hell out of low ans slow. No old/bold pilots, right?

Fly indadvertantly into IMC? If you had the heading bugaligned to your direction you may immediately engage the autopilot's heading hold function and do a controlled 180. If you are the autopilot, remain calm while scanning the dials like you were taught. Innitiate a 180 at standard rate ASAP. You'll be back in VMC in two minutes or less.

Why would you even think of loading your aircraft beyond the aft limit? That is suicidal! Carry a light bathroom scale as standard equipment, to remove all doubt about the weight of pax + bags.

Embrace the idea that your license isn't the end of your learning: it represents a compelling opportunity, a call for life-long learning. Do read FLYING and other periodicals each month. Use the tools on the internet for enhanced learning. Fly while following the concept of Continuous Improvement, constantly striving to reduce your errors, flight by flight.

Be circumspect about your abilities. As Chuck Yeager has said on multiple occasions: "Remain withing your capabilities at all times". IF the weather briefer says it is three miles and 1000 feet, do you really want to take the chance of orphaning your kids and leaving your wife a widow with youngsters to raise alone? Discretion is often the better part of valor, in aviation and in life.

What are the five most useless things in aviation? Runway behind you, ceiling above you, air in the gas tanks, sleep you didn'tget the night before and a less than fully- engaged brain!

Douglas McIntyre
Surrey, British Columbia

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Submitted by denniswolf on July 07, 2011.

I use VFR flight following for every VFR flight, period.

There are, however, reasons to not file IFR in good weather, especially where I operate in the New York City area. The delays and circuitous routes are wasteful and maddening. One has to be careful though. There's no pop-up IFR here, so if you get stuck above a deck or your airport suddenly goes IFR (like when there's a moist southerly flow and cool air over land) one frequently has to take a long unexpected excursion to somewhere else to land and then file IFR. There are some tricks and work-arounds, but they're not for the inexperienced or faint of heart.

I've become much more conservative and now accept that part of the price of living in this area is spending the extra time and money for IFR handling.

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Submitted by injunear on July 08, 2011.

They must be very high powerlines if center still has radar coverage to give flight following.
Also, if I recall correctly, flight following does not separate you from non participating non-mode C airplanes, say a Kolb or a glider.

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Submitted by jt12321 on July 08, 2011.

This is great advice.

I always request flight following - whether on a cross country or in a practice area doing some stalls and steep turns. Flight following can never hurt, it can only help, and even once prevented me from punching a Memorial Day 2010 TFR that snared 11 other GA pilots, mentioned in another article.

I am a VFR rated PPL. About a year ago I was returning home from visiting my god-children (LWM -> FRG) at about 23:30 local. The weather forecast was clear but it was a hot, humid summer night. Boston Approach called me to report a line of thunderstorms sprouting up, "15 miles ahead in my path of flight".

The guidance you'll get with flight following isn't the same as with IFR - instead the controller told me about the storms, recommended I deviate to the South, and will get back to me shortly to get my intentions. She went on to talk to a bunch of airlines. About two minutes later she asked me for my intentions; I responded "turning South, direct to Providence, RI and then we'll head West, Direct to FRG". The controller responded that this would get me around the storms with comfortable margins. She then asked for my on-course heading and "please verify enough fuel for the new course."

I was grateful to just not end up in a random storm... at night. All the additional support was above and beyond the call of duty for that controller. That kind of support for GA pilots is enormously appreciated and it speaks to the professionalism of the men and women who work ATC.

Sincerely,
Jeantet Fields
New York City

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Submitted by gtakemori on July 08, 2011.

I'm sure we're all aware that ATC actually WANTS us all to be on frequency so that they can communicate with US, when needed. I've listened to several ATC controllers would don't mind the extra workload to handle VFR traffic in exchange for having the awareness of your intentions and the ability to communicate with you.

I've personally used VFR flight following even when practicing flight maneuvers just circling in an area. It's great to have those extra eyeballs watching for traffic and they don't mind, especially at the fringes of a Class B area. It also makes life a lot simpler when transitioning through a Class C airspace en route rather than maneuvering around or above them.

Use it often and then when you're ready for your IFR training, you'll already have a great deal of comfort talking with busy controllers and learning how they operate.

Gil Takemori
Palo Alto, CA

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Submitted by wingking on July 09, 2011.

I'm a new 100 hour VFR sport pilot on long island who is going to start doing this as early as next week. I do talk to controllers even though I learned to fly at an uncontrolled field and have found them to be nothing but helpful yet I haven't filed a flight plan or used flight following. Yet!

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Submitted by jonnyjetprop on July 11, 2011.

Keep in mind that the controller doesn't take responsibility for all traffic separation, just other IFR planes. You still have to see and avoid other planes while flying IFR in VMC conditions.

John P.
Apopka, FL

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