Filing Flight Plans

There’s an article in the March COPA Flight Newsletter about flight planning. The article starts off sarcastically with ”We all file flight plans or flight itineraries when we fly, don’t we? Uh huh.” The article goes on to show examples where flight plans weren’t used, weren’t opened, or weren’t closed. It’s a reasonably good article, if you believe the premise that flight plans or itineraries are not used (as required by CARS 602.73) all the time. Perhaps I’m being naive, but I see little reason why most people flying in Canada wouldn’t file a flight plan, even for NORDO aircraft given today’s world of good cell phone converage and 1-800 numbers for FIS.

Obviously, all IFR aircraft are required to file a flight plan. That leaves VFR traffic. But if you are in the vicinity of a major airport, you are likely going to have to transit their zone. In Calgary, that means either a call to YYC VFR Advisory’s 1-800 number or you call FIS on their 1-800 number and file a flight plan. Alternatively, at least leaving Calgary/Springbank, you could simply go the ‘scud running’ route, flying low so as to stay away from Terminal’s airspace. You could then make your way wherever you need to be, avoiding controlled airspace as you proceed.

On my frequent flights to Edmonton/Villeneuve I’ve seen a few of these scud runners, flying much lower and making turns to avoid anything other than Class G airspace. I have to wonder why those pilots choose to fly so low and if those are the same people that aren’t filing flight plans, then I think I’m insulted to be included the “We all” group listed in the quote above. Flight plans are, first and foremost, about safety. If you don’t show up at your destination, the friendly SAR Techs from the Canadian Forces start looking for you. And with a flight plan, ATC knows you’re coming and won’t be caught off guard when you call them up to ask to enter their zone or get flight following. And that means you can fly up higher where, if something goes wrong, you’ll have more options. It’s a win-win situation for all involved.

Personally, I have yet to take a flight outside the 25 nautical mile radius where I haven’t filed a flight plan. And for all my local flights within that magical radius, someone knows my plan and route and timings. Maybe it’s because I’m extra cautious, or because I consider my licence a priviledge, or because I’m just a rule follower. But whatever the case, I think it would have been more appropriate for the article to start off with something like ”Only stupid pilots don’t file flight plans or flight itineraries when they fly.” But maybe that would have been too offensive to the morons who fly unsafely and break the regulations by not filing a flight plan/itinerary.

1 comment »

1. By Oshawapilot about 4 hours later:

   
   
   With a flight itinerary being so downright simple to file, it baffles me why people won't take this simple option. Yes, a flight plan takes a little more effort, and requires a little more strict adherence to times given for arrival/departure at airports, etc, but a flight itinerary filed with a familly member or someone in charge at the airport is downright childsplay. Agreed, no excuse at all.