VFR Flight Plans

[Steven Winslow]

Will there be an option to file VFR flight plans in the future? Just wondering....

[Keith Smith]

Recognizing that the current PEaware platform only captures flights that either:
1) have a flight plan associated with them, or
2) have a strip associated with them (created by ATC if you are working with them)

We do plan on adding a 'send VFR flight plan' option into the X-Plane plugin. the FS2004/X client already has the option.

This was originally left out from the X-Plane plugin because it was developed from scratch and at the time, PEaware did not exist. VFR flight plans are terribly misunderstood by the majority of sim enthusiasts who might file a VFR flight plan and then call for "VFR as filed..." or when queried for aircraft type and destination for a flight following request, are asked, "I filed a VFR flight plan, do you have it?"

There's a reasonable expectation that ATC sees the VFR flight plan when in fact, all flight plans are actually initially submitted with Flight Service. It's only _IFR_ flight plans which are forwarded to the relevant facilities prior to the filed estimated departure time. After you pick up the clearance and takeoff, I believe a 'departure message' is transmitted through the system and each enroute facility along your cleared route then receives a copy of the strip.

So, in short, we will be adding VFR flight plan filing into the X-Plane client so that pilots can fly from a non-towered field to a non-towered field without flight following, and still have their flight show up on PEaware, which is going to be around for quite a while before being replaced.

I will attempt to modify the server to stop relaying user-submitted VFR flight plans to the controllers. That will make the process completely transparent. Right now, our controllers DO receive the strip and will be trained to ignore it until they have solicited the required information from the pilot (or the pilot furnishes it with their F/F request).

[Steven Winslow]

Sweet! Recording flight time for non-towered to non-towered VFR was precisely what I had in mind. I realize the goal of PE is primarily the opportunity to keep current or brush up on IFR communications and procedures, but I think the option of VFR flight plan filing is a nice addition for us X-Planers. Knowing correct VFR procedures, with or without flight following, is just as important.

[Keith Smith]

Hi Steve,

I'm working on a quick modification to the server which will mean that controllers do NOT see VFR flight plans that are filed by pilots. They'll only see VFR strips created by controllers (ie, a pilot called for flight following). Then, I'll have zero qualms about adding VFR flight plan filing to the XP client.

[Steven Winslow]

Once that modification is done, will there be a "File VFR" option in the flight plan dialog box? Should we just use the "File IFR" option and indicate VFR? I don't mean to seem pushy. Just wondering.

[Keith Smith]

Not sure yet. Depends on how much time I can allocate to it

Keith

[Simon Ambrose]

Any thought been given to providing Flight Service Station support to PE.

If the controllers are there in any case, they might be able to cover that position.

This would greatly add to the realism for VFR pilots, who might typically be the new/student real world pilots, who would benefit from getting use to using Flight Services, and learn how VFR Flight Plans are handled.

Filing a VFR flight plan, while not always REQUIRED, is a good habit to get into. The servrice is there -- (In real life) -- Use it -- One day it might save your life.

[Keith Smith]

Some thought was given to it from the outset. There are no plans at this time. While Flight Service is a valuable real-world service (potentially life-saving, in fact), interacting with them is not a skill that necessarily needs to be practiced and honed on a routine basis. It also doesn't add a great deal of workload to the flight, as the interactions are usually done during low-workload portions of the flight.

The service would likely be under utilized, and unless we provided intense training for the controllers, our ability to provide real weather briefings would fall far short of what real pilots experience when they call for a brief.

For those reasons, among others, it was decided not to simulate Flight Service.

[Daddy O]

To add to what Kieth said about VFR flight plans;

With an IFR flight plan you are handled by control throughout the entire flight

But a VFR flightplan is more like a safety blanket--"If I don;t show up at KTUS by 1700 then send out a search party!" From a handling perspective, other than actually filing, opening, and closing the flight plan, it is no different than a normal VFR flight. You take off, frequency change approved, squawk VFR, and fly to your destination with no further interaction until you reach approach for your destination airport. As long as you close your flight plan in time, Center doesn;t really care what you are doing. They just want to know where to look for your body.

[arb65912]

They just want to know where to look for your body.

.... very encouraging.