Who do you call for VFR flight following?

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.”



To request VFR Flight Following in 2026, a pilot should contact the appropriate Air Traffic Control (ATC) facility for their current location, which is typically Departure Control, Approach Control, or a Center (ARTCC). If you are departing from an airport with a control tower, you can often request flight following directly from the ground or clearance delivery controller before you even take off. Once in the air, you would tune to the frequency of the nearest TRACON (Terminal Radar Approach Control) or "Center" and state: "Center, [Your Tail Number], Requesting VFR Flight Following to [Destination]." The controller will then provide you with a unique "squawk code" for your transponder and will provide radar advisories on other aircraft and weather. This service is provided on a "workload-permitting" basis, meaning the controller can deny the request if the airspace is too busy, but in 2026, it remains one of the best safety tools available for private pilots to avoid mid-air collisions.

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Whether you call it VFR advisories or-as the FAA labels it in the Aeronautical Information Manual, the AIM-radar traffic information service, flight following is provided by ATC to advise VFR flights of observed radar targets warranting their attention.

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Pilots may request to terminate VFR Flight Following. ATC may deny the request while in controlled airspace to ensure positive separation. ATC will automatically terminate VFR Flight Following when the aircraft arrives at its destination.

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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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They vector IFR traffic, issue approach clearances, landing clearances, traffic alerts, and coordinate with other controllers. Therefore, I should note, flight following does NOT open your flight plan. You must call to open your flight plan through the FSS, then you can call Center and get flight following.

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As a pilot performing a VFR flight and departing from a controlled airfield, you must contact the ATC before taxi in order to have the initial VFR clearance. You will obtain this clearance from a ground or tower controller. In other airports, you may ask the approach controller to obtain your clearance.

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According to the FAA's Instrument Flying Handbook (IFH), pilots on IFR flight plans operating in VFR weather conditions may request VFR-on-top in lieu of an assigned altitude. This permits them to select an altitude or flight level of their choice (subject to any ATC restrictions).

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A pilot may refuse an ATC instruction when it would place the aircraft in danger, or when other action is necessary to meet an emergency. Normally, a pilot wouldn't outright refuse to follow ATC instructions. The ATC system is not an adversarial one… the controller wants to help the pilot.

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It's unrealistic to expect a crew to fly together for several days and never discuss anything except items related to flying the aircraft. In fact, experts have demonstrated that in order to be most effective, crews need to talk -- even if it is just merely get to know you sort of chat.

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Visual Flight Rules (VFR) is an aviation term that refers to fly by visual references. It is formed from of the first letters of the English term. The VFR flight window runs from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.

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