Center Frequencies

[FDXDave]

Hello fellow Pilots and Controllers. I'm learning so much by flying on this Network.
Really enjoying the Great ATC environment. Question regarding Frequencies.
I make flight plans for my flights. As part of these documents i enter in the
frequencies that were used to help speed up the process for the next time i
fly the same route. Now the published Frequencies are easy enough to plan out
but i'm confused as to how the controllers select the center frequency they will
use. Because the freq's i had wrote down from a previous flight sure don't match
the freq's given to me this time during the same route lol.
Thanks for any explanation.
Dave.

[Kyle.Sanders]

Even realworld, you wouldn't try to plan out the radar (approach/center) frequencies. They are dynamic, as in different situations cause that Facility to split or combined certain sectors.

In fact, you might have different sectors/frequencies being controlled by the same ATC
"Change to my frequency 133.55"...

Plan the departure and arrival TOWER and GROUND frequencies... other than that, don't worry about it.

Those frequencies you wrote down for CENTER were likely taken from those "postage stamp" boxes right? If so, those are mainly used for POP-UP IFR or radar service requests. Tune to those when you were not previously speaking to a controller. It will Route you to the nearest receiver and get you in contact with someone working that area. Works o PilotEdge but then you are likely going to be given the "change to my frequency" instruction afterwards.

[Kevin_atc]

"Switch to my frequency 133.55"...

"Change to my frequency..." (7110.65W 2-1-17)

[Kyle.Sanders]

True. Thanks

[FDXDave]

Even realworld, you wouldn't try to plan out the radar (approach/center) frequencies. They are dynamic, as in different situations cause that Facility to split or combined certain sectors.

In fact, you might have different sectors/frequencies being controlled by the same ATC
"Change to my frequency 133.55"...

Plan the departure and arrival TOWER and GROUND frequencies... other than that, don't worry about it.

Those frequencies you wrote down for CENTER were likely taken from those "postage stamp" boxes right? If so, those are mainly used for POP-UP IFR or radar service requests. Tune to those when you were not previously speaking to a controller. It will Route you to the nearest receiver and get you in contact with someone working that area. Works o PilotEdge but then you are likely going to be given the "change to my frequency" instruction afterwards.

Thanks Kyle. I get it now. Thank you for the detailed explanation. I'll. Just leave some blank areas open on my Work sheets for center and approach. That simplifies things. See you in the air.
Dave.

[Kyle.Sanders]

Seems like you have a heck of a planning sheet. Mind sharing?

[Keith Smith]

For what it's worth, I don't plan out any frequencies prior to a flight. I get into the airplane and reference the ATIS, clearance, ground and tower freqs as needed by looking at the appropriate chart (or other source of data, such as via the Garmin 420, or ForeFlight's airport information pages). I'm certainly not pre-planning departure and enroute frequencies. There isn't a lot to be gained by trying to plan it ahead of time, or even noting it for future flights.

I've flown to Nashua, NH from Lincoln Park NJ at least 30 times over the past few years. The enroute frequencies are different based on the altitudes I fly (that effects whether I'm kept on a tracon frequency or sent to the overlying center) and the specific staffing of each facility at the time. Even if I did miraculously plan it out prior to a given flight, the actual workload reduction of dialing the frequency assigned by the controller vs having it pre-dialed by referring to a document that I carry on board is so negligible that it really doesn't seem to be worth it.

[FDXDave]

Seems like you have a heck of a planning sheet. Mind sharing?

Sorry for the late response.
I have one of these forms for each flight pre-filled out. That all I need to do is print out the form before my flight and my work load load is cut in half. I repeat my flights over and over again. So as i fly, i add notes that are beneficial for the next time. Like calling for my clearance. My read back typically will be the same each time. I currently have 17 flights saved for three different AC. And only for the western subscription. So i will add even more flights as these air fields are being staffed. I have have attached a word doc that I use for my FF 767-300ER. This flight plan is from
Denver to Salk Lake City. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

[Kyle.Sanders]

Seems like you have a heck of a planning sheet. Mind sharing?

Sorry for the late response.
I have one of these forms for each flight pre-filled out. That all I need to do is print out the form before my flight and my work load load is cut in half. I repeat my flights over and over again. So as i fly, i add notes that are beneficial for the next time. Like calling for my clearance. My read back typically will be the same each time. I currently have 17 flights saved for three different AC. And only for the western subscription. So i will add even more flights as these air fields are being staffed. I have have attached a word doc that I use for my FF 767-300ER. This flight plan is from
Denver to Salk Lake City. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

That is a good sheet. I bet it works great! Just be sure to check the data against what you have every AIRAC cycle update, just in case there were any changes to frequencies, headings, altitudes, ect...

[FDXDave]

Seems like you have a heck of a planning sheet. Mind sharing?

Sorry for the late response.
I have one of these forms for each flight pre-filled out. That all I need to do is print out the form before my flight and my work load load is cut in half. I repeat my flights over and over again. So as i fly, i add notes that are beneficial for the next time. Like calling for my clearance. My read back typically will be the same each time. I currently have 17 flights saved for three different AC. And only for the western subscription. So i will add even more flights as these air fields are being staffed. I have have attached a word doc that I use for my FF 767-300ER. This flight plan is from
Denver to Salk Lake City. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

That is a good sheet. I bet it works great! Just be sure to check the data against what you have every AIRAC cycle update, just in case there were any changes to frequencies, headings, altitudes, ect...

Thank you! And that's a good point. i didn't think of that. The entire Approach could be given a different number at the end. I recently ran into that. I can't remember which airport. But the arrival changed the number. There's a nice feature on Skyvector charts which show, what the differences are.
Dave