PPL flight test Navigation : "talking" with ATS

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ekg
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PPL flight test Navigation : "talking" with ATS

Post by ekg »

I'm going over the flight test guide and for navigation and diversions we need to simulate talking to ATS to activate / modify the flight plan. I've never had to do this since I've never done a real diversion and for my cross countries I just opened my flight plan via phone and let it activate at the time I wrote on the form.

I can't find example calls in the AIM in the RACs for this.

When activating the flight plan would it simply be as follows:
<ATS> <my registration> activating flight plan from <x> to <y> at <time wheels up> Z

I assume I don't need to give them other info on the flight plan?

After I reach my set heading and / or first land mark would I simulate a call to update my ETA?

I guess one point of confusion for me is that it seems like a flight plan could be opened via radio? If so how does one do that? Does anyone simulate opening a flight plan via radio on PPL?

For diversions I'd imagine it would be simpler and just using the above example but specifying the new set heading and ETA to alternate?
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Last edited by ekg on Thu Aug 22, 2019 5:42 am, edited 2 times in total.
TeePeeCreeper
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Re: PPL flight test Navigation : "talking" with ATS

Post by TeePeeCreeper »

“XXXX Radio, G/FXXX”

-G/FXXX XXXX Radio go ahead.

“G/FXXX would like to amend our flight plan, diverting due to weather/ECT” give position, altitude planned and ETA to revised destination.

As far as activating your flight plan it’s as simple as calling up Radio and asking them to open/activate your plan.

Hope that helps and good luck on your flight test!

TPC
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ekg
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Re: PPL flight test Navigation : "talking" with ATS

Post by ekg »

Good to know that's it's simple as that! Thanks!
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CpnCrunch
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Re: PPL flight test Navigation : "talking" with ATS

Post by CpnCrunch »

The thing is: you don't need to activate VFR flight plans in Canada, because they are activated automatically. In real life, nobody ever calls ATC to activate their flight plan as far as I know. The CPL flight test guide doesn't mention it at all. I guess the only time you might want to do it is if you took off from an uncontrolled field you could call ATC to confirm that your flight plan is active, but you don't need to call to actually activate it. If you take off from a controlled field or FSS, you just tell them on first call that you're on a VFR flight plan to XYZ, and they'll let you know if it's not in the system.
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photofly
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Re: PPL flight test Navigation : "talking" with ATS

Post by photofly »

In real life, nobody ever calls ATC to activate their flight plan as far as I know. The CPL flight test guide doesn't mention it at all.
If you look In the CPL (and PPL) flight test guide, Ex.23B, under performance criteria, you will see
“(e) activate the flight plan with ATS or simulate an activation with the examiner”
If you take off from a controlled field or FSS, you just tell them on first call that you're on a VFR flight plan to XYZ, and they'll let you know if it's not in the system.
I wouldn’t rely on anyone volunteering to you that it’s not there... if you want to check you should ask. At a controlled aerodrome, ATC doesn’t pay a lot of attention to VFR flight plans around here. The response I would actually expect on asking, is to be told to contact FSS.
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Re: PPL flight test Navigation : "talking" with ATS

Post by A346Dude »

CpnCrunch wrote: Sat Jun 23, 2018 9:09 pm If you take off from a controlled field or FSS, you just tell them on first call that you're on a VFR flight plan to XYZ, and they'll let you know if it's not in the system.
Do not expect a Tower to know anything about your flight plan or lack thereof. In most cases towers do not have access to VFR flight plans.
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photofly
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Re: PPL flight test Navigation : "talking" with ATS

Post by photofly »

You know I think that used to be the case, but more recently when I have been on a VFR flight plan and ready for taxi, ATC seems to know where I'm going. It was creepy the first time, but I asked, and yes, they do have access to VFR flight plans. I just don't think they care very much.
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Re: PPL flight test Navigation : "talking" with ATS

Post by CpnCrunch »

I don't know if they have access to the full flight plan, but they seem to have access to the basic details.
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photofly
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Re: PPL flight test Navigation : "talking" with ATS

Post by photofly »

I still don't think that announcing you're "on a VFR flight plan" and hoping that a busy ATCO will pipe up if they don't see your details is an adequate way to confirm that your flight plan is open. If you want to know, ask, explicitly.
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DId you hear the one about the jurisprudence fetishist? He got off on a technicality.
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