When flying a private plane (Cessna 172, etc.)?
Do you always have to contact ATC? Or can you just takeoff and fly without contacting ATC at all? I know you always have to on takeoff and landing, but I mean while you are cruising
Also, what kind of paperwork is involved when flying a private plane? Not as much as a commercial flight, right? What kind of paperwork is involved when flying a commercial (airline) flight?
Thanks A LOT for all of your help!!!!
Thanks for your answer! When flying VFR, you don’t have a destination, just fly around? Or can you have a designated route when flying VFR
Oh, and if someone does that for you, than what are all the papers pilots are using that you see in some cockpit pictures before departure? That can’t all be maps, are they?
No, at least in the USA. Whether you contact ATC is entirely dependent upon what classification of airspace you are flying in. It’s possible to fly coast to coast without having to talk to a soul on the radio. In fact I’ve done it several times with no radio or transponder whatsoever.
No, you don’t need a destination, you can just putt around locally. The only time designated VFR routes are required is flying through certain busy airspace (such as the Los Angeles Class B area) or in place like Alaska where there is so much VFR traffic in certain area during the summer that preferred VFR routes and altitudes have been established to reduce the liklihood of a mid-air collision.
The only paperwork involved is in filing a VFR flight plan (smart but not required) and keeping your personal logbook current. That’s it. About all you need to carry with you are appropriate charts, airport directories, weather reports and the required aircraft flight manual and documents. Many pilots also use a fancy flight log with checkpoints, distances, times enroute etc. for cross-country flights, but it doesn’t need to be too elaborate and it isn’t always needed..
On a passenger airline flight there are passenger and load manifests (including weight and balance data), aircraft discrepancy and “squawk” sheets, and various other forms and documents specific to a particular company. In my job we have a couple different log sheets required by maintenance, dispatch, accounting and the head office. LOTS of paperwork!
Cessna 172 landing at CYVO