A flight plan is not required for normal VFR operations in Florida. The only exception
would be if you are planning a trip to the Bahamas. It is however strongly recommended
that you file a VFR flight plan to ensure that you receive Search and Rescue protection,
especially if you are planning a long flight.
Filing a VFR flight plan is extremely simple and is done through the Flight Service
Station, preferably by telephone. It can, of course, be combined with your request for a
flight briefing. VFR Flight Plan Forms: FAA form 7233-1, are easy to complete and should
be available from your Flying Club.
If for any reason a form is not available, the following information needs to be given
to the Flight Service Station in order for you to file the VFR flight plan:
 | Full aircraft identification, including the N prefix.
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| Aircraft type, using the appropriate designator.
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| Estimated true airspeed.
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| The identifier code of the departure airfield.
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| The proposed departure time in UTC (Zulu)
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| The cruising altitude.
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| The proposed route, using NAVAID identifiers and airways.
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| The identifier code of the destination airfield.
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| The estimated time en-route
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| The fuel on board, in hours and minutes.
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| Any alternate airfields
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| Full name, address, and telephone number –
give sufficient information to
identify your home base and the operator.
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| Total number of persons on board.
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| Details of the aircraft colour scheme
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At the end of the telephone conversation make sure that you write down the name of the
Flight Service Station that should be used to close the flight plan upon your arrival.
Whilst you will still use the same 1-800-wx-brief telephone number, you may be talking to
a different Flight Service Station than the one with which you originally filed the flight
plan.
Although position reports are not mandatory for VFR flight plans, it is good
airmanship to call up the Flight Service Stations along the route. This will enable you to
receive any updated information and at the same time enable the station to check your
progress in terms of estimated flying time. This does, of course, improve the chances of
Search and Rescue should this become necessary.
Above all, do not forget to close your flight plan when you reach your destination.
This can be done by telephone direct to the Flight Service Station, which is the preferred
action, or alternatively by making an appropriate request to Air Traffic Control.
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