Is an aircraft operating under VFR required to file a flight plan?

VFR flight plans must be filed whenever an aircraft plans a cross-country flight and plans to operate under VFR flight rules. However, VFR flight plans are not required, only strongly recommended by the FAA, when an aircraft flies through class B airspace.



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An open VFR flight plan accomplishes exactly the same thing. It is not required for VFR as it is for IFR, but this tracking tool could become invaluable if something goes wrong, your coms fail, and you need to make an emergency landing in a remote location.

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Where a flight plan is required, it must be submitted before departure to an air traffic services reporting office or, during flight, transmitted to the appropriate air traffic services unit or air-ground control radio station, unless arrangements have been made for submission of repetitive flight plans (RPLs).

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B10 All pilots flying IFR shall submit a flight plan before flight. The IFR flight plan must contain, at a minimum, the aircraft callsign, departure airport, arrival airport, aircraft type, and requested route. All VFR pilots are encouraged, when appropriate, to submit a flight plan.

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In most countries, flight plans are required for flights under IFR, but may be optional for flying VFR unless crossing international borders. Flight plans are highly recommended, especially when flying over inhospitable areas such as water, as they provide a way of alerting rescuers if the flight is overdue.

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You can “air file,” or file an IFR flight plan while en route. Ideally, this would involve calling up the nearest ATC frequency, stating your N number, and waiting for a controller to acknowledge your transmission.

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Well, as most of you under the FARs are aware—not to say used to—in the United States it is perfectly legal to fly VFR without any visual contact with the ground. As long as you maintain the minimum VFR requirements regarding visibility and cloud clearances, you are good to go—all you need is a natural horizon.

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VFR flight plans must be closed within 30 minutes after your estimated time of arrival. They are not closed automatically. Failing to do so may activate needless search and rescue operations. Flight Following, on the other hand, may be thought of as having ATC on the flight with you.

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A licensed flight dispatcher or flight operations officer is required by law to carry out flight planning and flight watch tasks in many commercial operating environments (e.g., US FAR §121, Canadian regulations).

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No person may operate an aircraft under basic VFR when the flight visibility is less, or at a distance from clouds that is less, than that prescribed for the corresponding altitude and class of airspace.

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