“ Flight Plan Plea
The VFR cross-country flight had gone well. Approaching the non-towered destination airport, air traffic control terminated flight following and the pilot changed frequencies. There was no response to local traffic announcements, which was not surprising considering the lightly used aerodrome and late afternoon arrival time. Final approach was into the setting sun, making it difficult to see. While peering ahead into the glare, there was a sudden dark shadow, loud bang, and wind in the cockpit as a bird slammed into the pilot like a full-face punch. Stunned from the blow and blinded with blood, the pilot fought unsuccessfully for control. Sounds of the ensuing crash quickly faded while the unconscious and injured aviator lay trapped in the crumpled aircraft. Will the pilot survive?
There are numerous variables in that equation and many uncertainties. Is there anything that can be done to help improve odds in the pilot’s favor? Yes. Filing a VFR flight plan. A professional search and rescue crew member told me how their team located the crash site when a pilot was overdue on a VFR flight plan. He stated that filing the flight plan had saved the pilot’s life since another 2 or 3-hour delay would have resulted in death.
If VFR flight plans are potentially lifesaving, why do few pilots file them? During pilot exams I have heard many reasons. Some pilots believe or have been taught that flight following provides a function identical to filing a VFR flight plan. Many pilot candidates were never shown how to file or open a VFR flight plan during training, convincing them that there is little use and no need to do so. Recently I have heard from applicants that their instructors had never filed a flight plan in their own training and explain that it is an old-school method not needed today. A commonly heard justification for not filing is that simply forgetting to close the flight plan will result in search and rescue being called out. There are statements that filing, opening, and closing VFR flight plans is time consuming and difficult. Some believe that ELTs are foolproof or that a pilot will always be able to contact ATC. These misunderstandings and training gaps are leading to a generation of pilots and instructors who avoid using and teaching a simple, effective, life-saving tool. Please help reverse the trend.
Karen Kalishek,
NAFI Board Chair”
Personally on any VFR cross-country I either file a flight plan or have a family member know my plan and how to call in if I have not contacted them by a fixed time. I also carry a PLN on my person so that so long as I am conscious, I can activate it.
The VFR cross-country flight had gone well. Approaching the non-towered destination airport, air traffic control terminated flight following and the pilot changed frequencies. There was no response to local traffic announcements, which was not surprising considering the lightly used aerodrome and late afternoon arrival time. Final approach was into the setting sun, making it difficult to see. While peering ahead into the glare, there was a sudden dark shadow, loud bang, and wind in the cockpit as a bird slammed into the pilot like a full-face punch. Stunned from the blow and blinded with blood, the pilot fought unsuccessfully for control. Sounds of the ensuing crash quickly faded while the unconscious and injured aviator lay trapped in the crumpled aircraft. Will the pilot survive?
There are numerous variables in that equation and many uncertainties. Is there anything that can be done to help improve odds in the pilot’s favor? Yes. Filing a VFR flight plan. A professional search and rescue crew member told me how their team located the crash site when a pilot was overdue on a VFR flight plan. He stated that filing the flight plan had saved the pilot’s life since another 2 or 3-hour delay would have resulted in death.
If VFR flight plans are potentially lifesaving, why do few pilots file them? During pilot exams I have heard many reasons. Some pilots believe or have been taught that flight following provides a function identical to filing a VFR flight plan. Many pilot candidates were never shown how to file or open a VFR flight plan during training, convincing them that there is little use and no need to do so. Recently I have heard from applicants that their instructors had never filed a flight plan in their own training and explain that it is an old-school method not needed today. A commonly heard justification for not filing is that simply forgetting to close the flight plan will result in search and rescue being called out. There are statements that filing, opening, and closing VFR flight plans is time consuming and difficult. Some believe that ELTs are foolproof or that a pilot will always be able to contact ATC. These misunderstandings and training gaps are leading to a generation of pilots and instructors who avoid using and teaching a simple, effective, life-saving tool. Please help reverse the trend.
Karen Kalishek,
NAFI Board Chair”
Personally on any VFR cross-country I either file a flight plan or have a family member know my plan and how to call in if I have not contacted them by a fixed time. I also carry a PLN on my person so that so long as I am conscious, I can activate it.
