What's your equivalent of a VFR flight plan in the wilderness?

I'm a fan of VFR flight plans. I really like knowing that I'm expected at my destination and that someone will come looking for me, eventually. It's even more important as I usually travel single-ship, single-pilot.

But, in the backcountry, there's usually no phone coverage, nor are there reliable RCO's or VOR's with voice available to file, open, and close plans.

I do have an InReach, but the disadvantage is that someone has to be proactively watching, which I can't count on.

Thoughts?

chrispo wrote:What's your equivalent of a VFR flight plan in the wilderness?

I'm a fan of VFR flight plans. I really like knowing that I'm expected at my destination and that someone will come looking for me, eventually. It's even more important as I usually travel single-ship, single-pilot.

I do have an InReach, but the disadvantage is that someone has to be proactively watching, which I can't count on.

Thoughts?

My thought is that your InReach, plus your 406 ELT or at least 406 PLB is a good enough blend of tools.

People don't have to be actively watching the InReach, just hit the SOS button. If you are worried about being incapacitated in a landing and unable to hit the SOS button, then that's where the ELT comes in.

I file a VFR flight plan for every flight because it's a requirement of the country I live in, but when I'm in the US I'm sure it's been five years or more since I last filed one.

Consider an Iridium sat phone. Anymore, I feel naked without one.
(Just be sure to learn and carry your local-exchange numbers for FSS, rather than using 1-800-Wx-Brief.)
-DP

Flight Notification with someone responsible is my alternative, but I see you don't have anyone responsible to keep notified. A VFR flight plan is better than nothing, but lots of options already mentioned are better than that. Where I fly I could be 100nm off direct track trying to get around weather or mountains (usually a combination of both) and no comms with ATC, no phone at the destination, so the narrow little VFR flight plan search area is useless. InReach of even a SPOT is a portable solution, other installed trackers like Skytrac work well.

My VFR fight plan in the wilderness is survival gear and a SPOT locator.

This is bordering on being another "why do I need a satellite tracker" thread, but it bears repeating: The technology is so cheap, so readily available, that there is no excuse for flying into inhospitable places without it. Whether you carry the more limited track-only SPOT beacon, have an InReach that lets you send messages about your most recent life choices, or decide a sat phone is your way of getting it done, it should just be a part of any mountain pilot's kit.

If you're one of the "ADS-B will let them track me" people, you can leave the tracking off if you like and hope you have time to hit the SOS button when shit hits the prop. Personally I think that's an error since the only way they will know your track on a beacon is if someone shares it, or you link it to a flight plan (also a good idea to do, if you file them).

Along the sharing your plan thoughts, tell someone where you're going to be. No, really. Tell them if you haven't sent an 'I'm OK' message after a pre-determined time, to look your track up and see if you made it, and call in the cavalry if it looks weird. If you have a messaging or voice-capable device, this is even better since they can ask you what's up (like maybe you made it to the field OK, but bent metal on the landing, or just forgot to text your OK message). If official FSS or radar tracking is not an option, get a friend to keep an eye out, or even just ask someone on BCP to do it. The "buddy flight following" system isn't perfect, but it can work as a 'plan B' as long as your buddy isn't a total wanker.

Fly with a 406Mhz ELT as well. You can retrofit the ACK ELT's for about $500, plus a GPS source if you need one - Garmin sells an all-in-one puck for about $85 which can supply that, or you can feed it from a handheld source. ELT's don't always survive, but it's one more positionally-aware source of information hopefully telling people where you are. Surviving the crash itself is just part of the game, many pilots get through that fine only to die anyway because nobody knew to (or where to) look for them. Step 1: Get lucky. Step 2: Get found.

PLB is my backup

chrispo wrote:I do have an InReach, but the disadvantage is that someone has to be proactively watching, which I can't count on.

The advantage of the InReach is that you can text someone to tell them what you're going to do and when they should expect to hear from you next. If they don't hear from you, that's when the tracking option is useful.

Caution to the Delorme fan club-- I have been an InReach user for 5 years now. I like it, but I don't trust it. Messages sometimes take 8 hours to be delivered, or are never delivered. I never send just one... I send multiple versions of the same message because I have found that messages seem to get 'jammed' and sending a second or third message will often free up the first message and cause it to be delivered.

I've worked with InReach customer care for many hours and replaced my device twice. I don't believe I'm the only one experiencing these issues.

Bottom line, I now have an Iridium sat phone that I carry as a back up. I still use the DeLorme, I just don't trust it.

albravo wrote:Caution to the Delorme fan club-- I have been an InReach user for 5 years now. I like it, but I don't trust it. Messages sometimes take 8 hours to be delivered, or are never delivered. I never send just one... I send multiple versions of the same message because I have found that messages seem to get 'jammed' and sending a second or third message will often free up the first message and cause it to be delivered.

I've worked with InReach customer care for many hours and replaced my device twice. I don't believe I'm the only one experiencing these issues.

Bottom line, I now have an Iridium sat phone that I carry as a back up. I still use the DeLorme, I just don't trust it.

Very interesting. I have been thinking of upgrading my spot to a InReach because everyone keeps saying how much better the metwork is. I've never had a SPOT message not get sent. Think i'll just keep it...

I was talking to some FSS guys at the Valdez Air Show last year and they were telling me about being able to link my Spot to FSS and if they would only access the tracking if I failed to cancel my flight plan. There was a form to fill out and it would put my N-number( or multible planes) on file that indicated I had the Spot and the website and passcode incase there was a search activated. Other than that they did not monitor my account.

I think this is a great option and am not the type to worry about "Big Brother" watching me.

SkyLarkin said .....

telling me about being able to link my Spot to FSS

I heard about this at a seminar last summer. There are a bunch of "partners" where you can register your device and FSS can track your location. They are in direct contact w/ the National SAR agencies (no going through the local Sheriff).

Here is some more info. Partnerships are on home page:

https://www.1800wxbrief.com/Website/#!/partnerships

Because my home airport is within an ADIZ, I'm required to file a flight plan. That's my primary. Then I carry an InReach, a PLB, a 406 ELT and an Iridium sat 'phone. Overkill, perhaps, but I'm usually very far from help, over country where overland travel is practically impossible during the summer months, and where winter environmental conditions can kill very quickly.

The only down side to the flight plan is that I have to have a big sign on the door of my cabin: "DID YOU CLOSE YOUR FLIGHT PLAN?".

My In Reach access is listed on my master flight plan with AFSS. I file VFR and note that I have information on file. If I were to be overdue, they (AFSS) have access to my track.

I haven't crashed yet to try it out, but it sounds good.

MTV

I always have both of these when flying, jeeping, hiking, backpacking, especially since at times I'm by myself.

NunavutPA-12 wrote:Because my home airport is within an ADIZ, I'm required to file a flight plan. That's my primary. Then I carry an InReach, a PLB, a 406 ELT and an Iridium sat 'phone. Overkill, perhaps, but I'm usually very far from help, over country where overland travel is practically impossible during the summer months, and where winter environmental conditions can kill very quickly.

The only down side to the flight plan is that I have to have a big sign on the door of my cabin: "DID YOU CLOSE YOUR FLIGHT PLAN?".

When I used to file flight plans, I would stick these little red stickers on the back of my hand (about the size of a dime) which were a constant reminder to close my flight plan. After landing you couldn't help but wonder soon enough what the heck that red dot was for on the back of your hand.

If you are doing an "out and back" flight telling someone near your campsite or departure point where you plan to fly and when you plan to return. Very low tech flight plan. Good idea to tell someone where you are planning to fly in any case.

I remember an incident where the guy took off and disappeared (don't remember all the details). Had not told anyone where he was planning to fly since it was just local.

I think it took two years to find the wreckage and that was in the fairly densely populated Puget Sound area.

TD

whynotfly wrote:

NunavutPA-12 wrote:Because my home airport is within an ADIZ, I'm required to file a flight plan. That's my primary. Then I carry an InReach, a PLB, a 406 ELT and an Iridium sat 'phone. Overkill, perhaps, but I'm usually very far from help, over country where overland travel is practically impossible during the summer months, and where winter environmental conditions can kill very quickly.

The only down side to the flight plan is that I have to have a big sign on the door of my cabin: "DID YOU CLOSE YOUR FLIGHT PLAN?".

When I used to file flight plans, I would stick these little red stickers on the back of my hand (about the size of a dime) which were a constant reminder to close my flight plan. After landing you couldn't help but wonder soon enough what the heck that red dot was for on the back of your hand.

Great idea! Thanks.

TomD wrote:If you are doing an "out and back" flight telling someone near your campsite or departure point where you plan to fly and when you plan to return. Very low tech flight plan. Good idea to tell someone where you are planning to fly in any case.

I remember an incident where the guy took off and disappeared (don't remember all the details). Had not told anyone where he was planning to fly since it was just local.

I think it took two years to find the wreckage and that was in the fairly densely populated Puget Sound area.

TD

I think you have to be a little bit careful WHO you tell and HOW you tell them. The WHO is pretty obvious (responsible, reliable, etc.). As to the HOW, best to write down the details, rather than verbalize them. People can be forgetful (did he say "I'll be back Friday? ...or was that Saturday").

NunavutPA-12 wrote:

TomD wrote:If you are doing an "out and back" flight telling someone near your campsite or departure point where you plan to fly and when you plan to return. Very low tech flight plan. Good idea to tell someone where you are planning to fly in any case.

I remember an incident where the guy took off and disappeared (don't remember all the details). Had not told anyone where he was planning to fly since it was just local.

I think it took two years to find the wreckage and that was in the fairly densely populated Puget Sound area.

TD

I think you have to be a little bit careful WHO you tell and HOW you tell them. The WHO is pretty obvious (responsible, reliable, etc.). As to the HOW, best to write down the details, rather than verbalize them. People can be forgetful (did he say "I'll be back Friday? ...or was that Saturday").

Very good point. My problem with local flights is I easily get sidetracked and go off route and end up in 5 other spots before I get where I was going. This is where a SPOT or InReach is great. My wife just follows my SPOT tracks and always knows where I am.