Overview

Every flight during the training should have a precise purpose assigned by the instructor or inspired by the course syllabus used by the school. In each and every lesson, we stated our purpose in a section we called the flight plan, but in aviation an actual flight plan is a different thing. It is a very detailed list containing the times, altitudes, headings, fuel-consumption figures, and so forth for all the segments (legs) composing the flight. For cross-country flights this is an essential tool that will help the pilot stay ahead of the game and be constantly aware of his position and his options in case of emergency. Officially fling the flight plan, calling a Flight Service Station (FSS) and dictating the plan on the phone to a controller, or submitting it via the internet, gives additional advantages. Once the FSS (and ultimately the FAA) knows where, when and along which route you are going, they can keep an eye on you, so to speak. They can track you on their radar (a service called flight following) and, as a minimum, if you are flying too low for them to follow you, they can check that you actually reached your destination at the estimated arrival time or within a reasonable period. If they don't hear from you or if there is no record of your arrival at the destination airport, they will immediately start a search operation. Especially in extreme climates, over mountainous terrain and uninhabited areas, this prompt...