There have been a number of previous postings on the subject of VFR Flight Plans; pros, cons, and realities. Key points:
- ATC never sees VFR FPs, and cannot close them (except the hard way, by calling the automated FSS for you, and going through the same crap. What are the chances....)
- VFR FPs were designed for flights operating 'outside the system'. In other words, if you didn't file one, no one associated with any segment of the FAA would ever know that the flight occurred at all. Once upon a time in the West, as the saying goes, this was actually the case for most VMC flying.
- If you are operating this way, you are far better off to work out an escalation plan with friends or similar. If you fail to show on time, they are much more likely to effect a helpful search in time to do some good.
- If you want ATC oversight due to inhospitable terrain, traffic, whatever, you are vastly better off to obtain 'VFR Flight Following', whether other circumstances require the contact under VFR or not. If you are on a slow and low scenic flight, and don't want the radio interruptions that can arise from FF, that's understandable. But make sure that there are eyes outside the cabin other than down. In fact, it is very helpful to have a second plane who IS talking to ATC flying 'top cap', and/or spotters on the ground, any time that you can. Just as is often done during aerobatic training or practice. We always used a spotter plane during spin practice; and during low cruise down the northern stretches of the Grand Canyon and similar. There are many places that ATC cannot reach you, if you are low (and even if you are 'high', out West!).
- If you are already talking to ATC, things will trigger instantly if you declare an emergency, regardless of whether you are on a flight plan of any kind. No lost time trying to reach ATC or FSS during a real crisis. They will know almost exactly where you are; and exactly when you were forced down (if that happens). Contrast this with FSS awaiting expiration of the allotted time, having only your stated intended route to go by, and only an approximation of where you may be along that route. The new ELTs will help with pinpointing location; but not nearly as much so, if you buy one without integral GPS. While all of them accept external GPS input, that input is unlikely to exist following a forced descent (no aircraft power).
- If you are a relatively new pilot, and you completed most training in a quieter radio environment, using VFR FF will almost completely train you for radio usage when/if you pursue your Instrument rating. While you won't exercise all the terms used on the radio for IFR traffic, you will constantly hear the terms in use. Due to circumstances you will come to understand what they mean, and how they get used. While not officially a 'participating aircraft', functionally you will indeed be operating 'within the system'. You will be well prepared for 'the real thing' when that time comes.
VFR Flight Plans are necessarily taught to new students. In today's environment, that's about where their usefulness ends. And if you don't need to file one, you don't have to remember to close it. VFR Flight Following does the job much better, and is very rarely denied by Center. Approach cannot deny it unless they are also denying you access, in Class B airspace. If they deny it when you wish to transition Class C, just reestablish it with Center on the other side. Ditto if they deny it when you are departing Class C. The needed frequencies exist in many sources, including in many VFR and IFR GPS units. One common source for Center frequencies is by the agency name, along the 'turret lines' or 'checkerboard lines' shown on Sectionals. If you can contact Approach, they can also give you Center freqs. They will usually volunteer the needed freq, if they are busy and have to decline a FF request. For example, 'Musketeer 34Fox, contact Atlanta Center on 132.45 with that request in about five miles'. Piece of cake. Mmmmmmmmm.....
