Radar Controller Contact Options

[GHamsz]

I purposely kept this simple… No mention of GA vs Commercial, and no altitudes. I just wanted to outline my understanding of the various contact options.

Flight Following:
Used when you want to fly your flight plan. This lets the controller know you will be following the path defined in the flight plan. In addition, you can fly at whatever altitude you feel appropriate. It is not necessary to ask permission to change altitudes!

Be aware that the controller may give you heading and/or altitude adjustments as he sees fit to keep you clear of other aircraft under his control. Once clear of any other aircraft, the controller will usually tell you to resume own navigation which is when you may resume flying your flight plan.

Check In (With You from the ATC standpoint):
Used when you will be following your flight plan, but this service does require that you clear any and all altitude changes with the controller. Just like Flight Following, the controller may deviate you from your heading and/or altitude to clear other aircraft.

Check in is also used when you’ve been transferred from departure to center, or center to approach. The service you requested remains with you, so there’s no need to ask again after switching to the new frequency.

Radar Vectors:
Used when you want heading and altitude vectors to get you in the proximity of your destination airport. The controller will get you within range of the your destination airport, give you a final vector that will get you to pattern altitude, and will hand you off to tower. Tower will then give you pattern entry specifications, sequencing if necessary and clear you to land.

ILS Approach:
Used when you want the controller to provide heading and altitude vectors to your destination airport including final vectors that will set you up for an ILS approach to the runway specified. Once it’s clear you are going to intercept the localizer, the radar controller will switch you to tower. Once on tower frequency, you should call in ON THE ILS for the runway the radar controller vectored you for.

VFR:
Here’s where I get in trouble… I believe this makes sense when you want to fly “around” say in the mountains, without a FP, but IRL who would fly without a FP unless doing patterns at your local airport. It’s not a way around ATC vectoring people into a busy airport. Like the other services, you still may be moved if you are interfering with approach or departure at a controlled airport.

Other notes…
Be aware that based on traffic density the controller may switch your requested approach service and/or requested runway if ILS.

If you’ve been granted “Check In” or FF or even radar vectors you may be switched to ILS if there is a stream of aircraft inbound for the destination airport.

References:

Flight Following / Radar Vectors / ILS approach / Check In What are the differences?

When to request Flight Following / Radar Vectors / Check in / Request ILS approach: There is a lot of confusion about when to use this option: First of all it is important to know that “Flight Following” is not allowed in class A airspace! Class A airspace starts at FL180 and above. Flight following should be only be used when flying VFR and when flying a “general aviation” airplane. You can think of the Cessna 172, 208, and the Cirrus for example. Any airline transport airplane is NOT allowe…

You're talking to approach... Now what?

Flight following will usually be allowed during departure, but you will often be vectored upon arrival into your destination, especially if you are flying into a busy airport at peak traffic times. Besides, as I’m sure you know, you should only request flight following in a GA VFR aircraft. Yes, we do this often, usually when approach has a light workload and can handle two stations at a time. A separate departure frequency is usually only used during peak traffic hours. Besides, this happens…

Approach Control Tutorial-Episode 2

The Approach Controller can provide many services to aircraft to accommodate different types of aircraft, traffic volumes, and weather conditions. In Episode 2 of our Approach Control Tutorials, we’ll check out the GPS Approach, ILS Approach, Flight Following, VFR, and Radar Vectors. Be sure you subscribe to The Official Infinite Flight Advanced ATC YouTube Channel. [Approach-Episode 2]

How to make and fly your FPL

When you “check in” where there’s an appr or departure available, why to they (some ATC’s) send “say intentions” immediately after checking in?? (This is even with a FPL) This is a much easier way to understand how to make a FPL. Dank je wel, Aernout!

Flight following, VFR, radar vectors how to know what to use

So I’m still seeing a ton of this and it drives me nuts. So here is your tutorial on how to use each of these. -VFR. This is used when you have a General aviation call sign are under FL180 and don’t have a flight plan, and it’s VMC. -Flight following. This is used when you have a General aviation call sign, are under FL180 and have a flight plan, and it’s VMC. -Radar vectors. If you don’t fit the category for any of the above ask for radar vectors. And obviously if it’s IMC. That is all. …

[Nicholas_L]

This is great Gary! Hopefully it will clear some things up for newer pilots.

[Karl.Luebs]

Great and very helpful post. Thanks!

[Tim_B]

Please review.

Flying VFR is not a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card. Nor is it equivalent to Flight Following.

[Stephen_Benny]

I am bumping this…coz i still hear those requests on my frequency…NOTAM…plz checkout on the community forum for "how to fly " in controlled airspace…its all abt communication…but get to know how to communicate to ATC