I don’t think the check ride went very well because the CFI was raising a stink that lingered about the DPE’s insistence that the applicant know how to file and activate a flight plan and know the procedure for obtaining flight following.
The CFI argued that these skills are obsolete because of the technology available now, suggesting that navigational apps, such as ForeFlight and Garmin Pilot, combined with ADS-B make the filing of flight plans and using flight following obsolete. He noted you can track someone via an app like FlightAware.com if you know their tail number and know where they are at all times.
He has a point, and as a CFI I have used this to keep track of my charges. But I also know there are pilots who are taking (legal) steps to “hide” this information, which is their choice.
For the check ride, what the learner needs to know is listed in the Airman Certification Standards for private pilots under Task D.
Flight following falls under risk management (PA.I.D.R5), covering limitations of air traffic control (ATC) services. That’s a fancy way of saying ATC may not always be able to provide flight following for VFR traffic.
Flight following for VFR aircraft is workload permitting for ATC, as it is tasked with handling IFR traffic as the priority. Flight following provides a VFR aircraft with a discreet transponder code and watches its progress as it heads to the destination or maneuvers in the practice area. If ATC gets too busy, it can cancel flight following and tell you to squawk VFR.
For the VFR pilot, flight following is a nice to have. When you start working on your instrument rating, you will use the system extensively, as ATC will be “keeping an eye on you.”
Some CFIs also obtain flight following in practice areas or at least listen to it as they are doing maneuvers with their clients so they know if there is traffic approaching them. It also adds a “realistic distraction” to the cockpit, which is also part of flying. Listen for your tail number and traffic in your vicinity.
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PA.I.D.K4, elements of a VFR flight plan, goes into details on what the applicant and CFI needs to know. Use of an electronic flight bag (EFB) is mentioned several times, as they are acceptable, however, check with the DPE ahead of time because they may ask for an analog (paper) navlog because they want to be sure the applicant understands the elements of the VFR plan and where the information that goes into it is derived from.
If the applicant knows how to create a navlog by hand, they should know this information. Using an app is expedient, but in my opinion it’s nowhere near as fun as doing it the analog way. Creating a navlog by hand can be done in a few minutes.
Analog Navlog Creation
Start by spreading out the sectional, pick a place to go, pick your landmarks, note the airspace you will be traversing, note the clearances that will be required, then slap down the plotter and find the true course. Pick appropriate altitudes, pull the weather and get the winds, use an E6-B (app, mechanical or electronic, your choice) to get your wind correction angle. Use the POH to get the power settings to determine the TAS, apply the wind for ground speed, then figure out time en route, fuel burn, etc.
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If you use a mechanic or electronic E6-B, you just have to follow the instructions printed on the device, and you will get the information you need.
If the learners can absorb and apply this information and skills, they should be able to meet the objective of “exhibiting satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with cross-country flights and VFR flight planning.”
Filing, Activating, and Closing a Flight Plan
PA.I.D.K5 covers procedures for filing, activating, and closing a VFR flight plan. In short form: by phone, radio, and online using an app. Make sure you know how to do all three.
Most pilots file their flight plan about 20-30 minutes before departure and open it when task saturation is low, such as when the aircraft has leveled off at the first altitude.
Learners also need to know what happens if they forget to close their flight plan within 30 minutes of their ETA. After 30 minutes a search begins. When it comes to flight plan closure, use a belt and suspenders and duct tape approach: Write down “CLOSE FIGHT PLAN BY (insert time)” on your flight plan form, set the alarm on your smartphone, or, as one of my learners did, write, “close flight plan” on a Post-it note and put it in the waistband of your pants (to be found when you land and head for the restroom when you arrive at the destination) to remind you to close it.
Another method is to move your wristwatch to your nondominant wrist as a way to remind yourself there is a task that will need to be addressed when you land.
Please understand that canceling flight following, which many pilots do when they have the destination airport in sight, is not the same as closing your flight plan.
If you have a “did-I-close-that?” moment, double-check to make sure you get that flight plan closed after landing. It’s easy with an app or a phone call.
