Flight Following Fail

Editorial Staff

Monday, July 26, 2021 at 10:10 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A group of pilots accustomed to predictable ATC handoffs during routine VFR flight following experienced an unexpected early termination of radar services.
This sudden change forced them to navigate complex, crowded airspace independently, leading to one pilot inadvertently infringing on controlled airspace.
The incident served as a crucial lesson that pilots must always be prepared for unexpected ATC actions and maintain thorough knowledge of airspace boundaries and frequencies, rather than assuming past procedures will repeat.

See a mistake? Contact us.

I’m part of a pilot’s breakfast group that flies from the airport in Big Bear City, Calif., elevation 6700 feet, to lower-elevation airports in the Los Angeles Basin airspace. On this day, we were headed to the Corona (Calif.) Municipal Airport (KAJO) and its good restaurant.

Upon departing our home airport, we request VFR flight following from ATC so we are in the system. The controllers at SoCal Approach keep a watchful eye on us for any conflicts and clear us through the crowded airspace.