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It is wrong to assume anything with ATC when VFR! Especially to assume they
will provide continuous flight following. Many smaller approach controls
will automatically ask you if you want ff to destination. But few of the
larger ones will.

One more thing - when you are receiving flight following, you are only
getting at-that-instant traffic information. You are NOT in the system. If
you go down, it is highly unlikely they will miss you and report it. My son
recently made a 2 hour flight with ff all the way and assumed that
everything was OK. Unfortunately, he left 4 hours later than he told us, so
we started looking for him. A friend at ATC started an "upstream" search to
see if anyone had talked to him. No one had ANY records of talking to him
(in spite of the fact 4 different ATCs had by virture of his flight
following!)

So, when flying VFR, I highly recommend (and, if you are my son, DEMAND)
that you file a flight plan with Flight Service, then ask ATC for flight
following.


"Jim Fisher" wrote in message
news:QdDO5.4122$D_2.480631@news-east.usenetserver.com...
> Yo,
>
> I flew out of PDK (Atlanta, GA) last week. This airport rests under the
> outer Bravo space and just north of ATLs inner Bravo space.
>
> Upon contact with PDK clearance, I was asked if I would like flight
> following. I gave an affirmative and was give a squawk.
>
> So Im flying out from PDK in the direction of Atlantas Bravo boundary
and
> PDK came on and said "Cherokee 9402J squawk VFR radar services
terminated."
>
> Well, I was sorta surprised since I thought Id be handed off to Atlanta
> approach or Center for continued following.
>
> I rogered their termination and scrambled for my AF/D to look up ATLs
> frequency (yeah, I should have already had that written down, I know). I
> determined that I probably would not find it in time to avoid ATLs Bravo
> space and called PDK back up to ask them to pass the frequency along to
me.
> They did and ATL approach granted it.
>
> I was damn close to busting class B at this point and changed heading to
> avoid it. Had I been distracted another few seconds, I damn sure would
have
> busted it. Heck, I may have actually brushed the boundary. But when I
> finally got in contact with ATL (and the FAA hasnt called), they didnt
say
> anything so I rectum Im safe. It was a very tense moment, though. I saw
> my pilot certificates life flash before my eyes, I swear.
>
> Anyway, my question is, when PDK asked if I wanted flight following, was I
> wrong to assume they would pass me along to Approach when I left their
> jurisdiction?
>
> Up until now, I assumed that when you get flight following and a discrete
> code, you automatically get passed along for your entire route unless ATC
is
> unable.
>
> Either way, Ill damn sure never make that assumption again. Just want a
> little clarification.
>
> Jim Fisher
> North Alabama
> Cherokee 180
>
>

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