To pick up flight following, you will usually be contacting an ATC radar controller at an Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) or Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) ? often referred to as ?center? and ?approach or departure.? Look up the necessary frequency and write it down prior to departure.

To obtain VFR Flight Following (technically called "VFR Radar Advisory Service") in 2026, a pilot should contact the local Approach Control or Center frequency once airborne and clear of the immediate airport traffic area. The initial call should be brief: "Center, [Tail Number], request VFR advisories." Once the controller responds with "Say request," the pilot provides their position, aircraft type, altitude, and destination. The controller will then assign a unique "Squawk Code" for the transponder and may ask the pilot to "Ident." Once radar contact is established, the controller will provide traffic alerts and, in some cases, weather advisories on a "workload-permitting" basis. In 2026, with the universal adoption of ADS-B Out, this process is more streamlined as controllers already have most of the aircraft's data; however, the pilot is still responsible for "seeing and avoiding" other aircraft. Flight following is a vital safety tool for cross-country flying, as it provides an extra set of eyes in the sky and ensures that the aircraft is already in the system if an emergency arises.