How to request VFR flight following (and why you should)
Flight following is free, makes you a better-protected VFR pilot, and is great radio practice. Many students never ask for it simply because they are not sure how. Here is the whole exchange.
Who to call
Call the Approach or Center facility for your area. Give type, position, altitude, and the request: "Norcal Approach, Cessna One Two Three Four Five, ten miles south of Livermore, four thousand five hundred, request VFR flight following to Salinas."
Set the squawk
ATC assigns a discrete code: "squawk zero two three four." Read it back, set it, and wait for "radar contact."
Working the traffic calls
You will get advisories by clock position, distance, and altitude. Reply "traffic in sight" or "looking, negative contact." You are still responsible for see-and-avoid — flight following helps, it does not replace your eyes.
Ending the service
ATC may say "radar service terminated, squawk VFR, frequency change approved," or you can cancel any time: "Cessna One Two Three Four Five, cancel flight following." Set 1200 and carry on.
Practice these calls with instant grading — free.
Start training →