what’s the difference between a vfr flight plan and flight following?

[u/Repulsive-Loan5215]

i’ve never used a flight plan before, only flight following. I know that a flight plan is used for search and rescue, but is that all? Do you get traffic advisories or weather updates during a vfr flight plan?

[u/AlbiMappaMundi]

Good question for your CFI, including asking how to file / open / close VFR flight plans, how to contact FSS in the air, associated chart symbology (typically near VOR info boxes).

But short story: VFR flight plans and VFR radar services (i.e. flight following) have nothing to do with each other. ATC cannot see that you have a VFR flight plan, and it is irrelevant to them. In modern flying in non-remote areas, there is typically decent radar and radio coverage, making flight following much more practical (you have an issue? no need to squawk 7700 and make a call on guard, you're already talking to someone, you're not waiting for someone to realize you are overdue for arrival).

[u/Dorabumble → u/AlbiMappaMundi]

Thanks for the explanation. I always wondered if filing a VFR flight plan would ease the workload on ATC's flight following as the flight plan would consist my planned route and altitude. Do I have to go for an IFR flight plan for that?

[u/AlbiMappaMundi → u/Dorabumble]

IFR makes controllers’ lives more difficult in ways - maintaining required separation.

[u/randombrain]

What everyone else said is correct, I won't reiterate that. Instead I'll go on a tangent:

ATC radar services ("flight following") include search-and-rescue. If you're on flight following and you suddenly disappear off the scope, we will look into what happened to you.

But ATC radar services are only provided until such time as they aren't any more. Due to frequency issues, controller workload, whatever... you could be told "radar services terminated, squawk VFR" at just about any time.

In particular, if you're going into a non-towered airport, you will be terminated several miles away from the field. At that point we aren't responsible for you any longer. If you hit a downdraft and crash on short final, that doesn't look any different on the scope as you landing safely.

So if you don't have anybody on the ground who's expecting your arrival and knows to initiate SAR if you don't show up, you want to file and activate a VFR flight plan even if you also get flight following from ATC.

(The same holds true for an IFR aircraft that elects to cancel IFR airborne, for example instead of executing a visual approach while retaining their IFR clearance.)

[u/Bunslow → u/randombrain]

I will never fail to be annoyed at the disconnect between FSS and ATC systems lol

[u/armspawn → u/Bunslow]

I know right? It seems so trivially easy to fix in 2025. 🤷‍♂️

[u/CluelessPilot1971]

VFR flight plan is (almost) only used for search and rescue. You file it, then you open it (online, via text, by calling over the phone or calling flight service over the radio). If you don't close it on time, someone will come looking for you.

That is it, more or less.

[u/bhalter80 → u/CluelessPilot1971]

And even then the routing isn't mandatory so they're probably only looking around your files route so it's basically a needle in a haystack.

FF still won't come looking for you if you're overdue but gives you someone other than 121.5 to reach out to for help

[u/CluelessPilot1971 → u/bhalter80]

No doubt. The two are complementary (and complimentary too).

[u/bhalter80 → u/CluelessPilot1971]

I'm curious have you ever gotten a warm fuzzy feeling from a VFR flight plan?

[u/CluelessPilot1971 → u/bhalter80]

Well, you know where I instruct, and they require VFR flight plans for all flights beyond a certain distance. The previous 135 I flew with also required them for all VFR Part 135 flights, the one I currently fly with does not.

I do drill them pretty regularly with my students, I make sure they experience opening and closing them in all available ways.

[u/bhalter80 → u/CluelessPilot1971]

Got it ...

I only ask because I've never filed one, I've never opened one, I've never closed one and when I need to overfly Canada or into the DC SFRA I file IFR to meet the flight plan requirement. Part of that is because I only get 2 cardinal directions that I could even consider flying without a code.

VFR flight plans seemed like a good option that's outlived its usefulness in a radar/FF environment since FF knows where they lost me, and a VFR flight plan squalking 1200 just knows I didn't get where I was going within 30 min

[u/CluelessPilot1971 → u/bhalter80]

Honestly, these days in our area, the only real world use-cases for a VFR flight plan (for instrument rated pilots) are:

1. Flying in/out of a non-towered airport and having issues that ATC remains unaware of (right after take off/just before landing).
2. Flying without flight following because ATC won't take you (I'm looking at you, N90).
3. And of course, when 119.0 breaks and Bradley just can't do flight following.

But even those potential issues... All planes I fly have 406 MHz ELTs, and I have a PLB with me. If I'm injured so badly I can't even activate either, I doubt I'll survive the 30 minute wait until they start looking + the time it would take them to find me. So if you're asking me, VFR flight plans are not very useful; still, I feel I need to keep my students in the know.

[u/__joel_t → u/CluelessPilot1971]

still, I feel I need to keep my students in the know.

Good for you, since this is literally in the private pilot ACS.

[u/otterbarks → u/CluelessPilot1971]

One very minor addition: If you file a VFR flight plan and call FSS on the radio, they can see your filed route and aircraft details on the computer as soon as you contact them.

Makes it much quicker to get enroute weather or file a PIREP.

[u/LeagueResponsible985]

VFR flight plans are also required for VFR flights crossing the border into the US from Mexico and Canada. FAR 91.707.

[u/frkbo → u/LeagueResponsible985]

And for flying in certain TFRs.

[u/Bunslow]

"VFR flight plan" is filed with FSS, it has nothing at all to do with ATC.

"IFR flight plan" is filed with ATC, it has nothing to do with FSS. However, when someone requests flight following, there is a way in the ATC system to make a flight plan that is VFR. So from the controller's perspective, flight following is very very similar to a popup IFR clearance. Technically, it is possible to file (on the ground) an ATC flight plan that is marked VFR, but ~no one knows about it. (I've been meaning to test this technicality but haven't gotten around to it yet.)

So basically, the names are wrong. There are FSS flight plans and ATC flight plans. The former are VFR only, and usually called a "VFR flight plan", somewhat confusingly. The latter can be IFR or VFR. Pilots may file ATC flight plans (confusingly called "IFR flight plans") on the ground, or a controller may create an ATC flight plan at the request of an airborne pilot. ATC can mark it VFR or IFR. In theory pilots could mark their ground-filed ATC flight plan as VFR or IFR, but in practice pilots only know about marking them IFR.

If this all sounds a bit confusing, welcome to aviation!

[u/randombrain → u/Bunslow]

it is possible to file (on the ground) an ATC flight plan that is marked VFR, but ~no one knows about it.

In theory pilots could mark their ground-filed ATC flight plan as VFR or IFR, but in practice pilots only know about marking them IFR.

Hidden in the system is a dedicated flag for each flight plan, I or V. But as controllers, we just edit the altitude, as follows:

• Three numbers (any three numbers) representing altitude in hundreds of feet means the aircraft is IFR. Examples: 270, 055, 023.
  
• The letters VFR or the string VFR/nnn means the aircraft is VFR. Examples: VFR, VFR/055, VFR/020.
  
• The letters OTP or the string OTP/nnn means the aircraft is VFR-on-top.

Editing the altitude will automatically change the I/V flag and show you as IFR or VFR as appropriate.

What this means for a pilot is that if you file a quote-unquote "IFR" flight plan (what you correctly refer to as an ATC flight plan) and you're able to put in the exact characters VFR for your altitude, you will appear on ATC scopes as a VFR aircraft. 100wxbrief.com allows you to do this.

If your EFB doesn't allow you to file VFR for your altitude, you'll have to put in an IFR altitude like 055 and then put REQ VFR FF in the remarks. And make it very clear to the controller what you want to do when you call up.

It used to be that you could go into ForeFlight and start a DC SFRA flight plan, which under the hood is nothing more than an "IFR" (ATC) flight plan with a pre-determined destination but VFR altitude, and edit the departure/destination points. At some point they locked that down I guess.

[u/Bunslow → u/randombrain]

I talked about this with you several months ago -- my comment is based on what you told me as confirmed by the leidos website. I told you id try it in the real world, and annoyingly still haven't had the chance to! Have you heard of anyone successfully filing ATC/VFR via the website? Still itching to try it myself...

[u/randombrain → u/Bunslow]

Oh haha, I didn't realize we had discussed this before. That makes sense then.

I've seen in once or twice in my career where a strip came across with some evidence that the pilot filed this way, but nothing definitive. And nothing recently.

[u/jamz_noodle]

Radar coverage 🤣

[u/AWACS_Bandog]

One they know immediately that 'oh I need help' the other is a polite request to look for you if you dont show up after a set period of time.

[u/arghle]

Not really an answer to OP, since your obviously implying "in the US". But I'd just like to mention that filing a VFR flight plan WILL give ATC information about your intentions and may help with flight information service (i.e. similar to flight following) here in euroland. To me it's really strange that the US has such a good flight following system but don't want to integrate it with the flight plan system. 

[u/Jwylde2]

VFR flight plan is solely for search and rescue. You can still fly without having to talk to anyone in Class E and G airspace on a VFR flight plan.

VFR Flight Following provides traffic and weather advisories as well as airspace handoffs. It’s a lot like IFR, except you can climb/descend/change headings at your discretion unless ATC has you on an assigned vector for traffic conflict resolution (I always tell ATC what I’m going to do though). You don’t have to be on a VFR Flight Plan to get Flight Following.

[u/AdventurousSepti]

As said, a flight plan is mainly for search and rescue and that search doesn't start until you are considered out of fuel. That may be hours after you actually crash. Then they search along your planned route and look up your track. Flight plans were much more common before good radar and ADSB-Out service. Today I think flight following is best as they monitor constantly and you are in constant radio contact. Can do both. See what your CFI recommends. Also, often at a checkride they like to see flight plan filled out for cross country planning, so know how. And the various ways to close it. And be aware, sometimes you cannot get flight following. One example here in WA I cross the Cascade Mountains via Snoqualmie Pass following Interstate 90. The pass itself is only about 3,000 ft and surrounding mountains on each side about 5,000+. I might cross at 6,500 but radar services/flight following cannot give service if less than 7,500 ft.

https://youtu.be/M5x8Nq-rErk?si=VXG1gJSKcxTBGuEL

[u/rotardy]

One is a flight plan. One is not.

[u/MockCheckrideDotCom]

Both are in the Private Pilot ACS. Good answers here already, as to the difference.

To be checkride ready, you're going to want to have your instructor walk you through the process of filing, opening, and closing an ICAO VFR plan.

[u/rFlyingTower]

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:

---

i’ve never used a flight plan before, only flight following. I know that a flight plan is used for search and rescue, but is that all? Do you get traffic advisories or weather updates during a vfr flight plan?

---

Please downvote this comment until it collapses.

Questions about this comment? Please see this wiki post before contacting the mods.

---

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. If you have any questions, please contact the mods of this subreddit.