Who files your flight plans?

[zbwmy]

Being a Center controller, I am interested in who files the flight plans for the fractionals? Years ago we used to think EJA pilots were doing their own.
Is this function contracted out or does each company have their own dispatchers doing it?

 

[Dep676]

At Options they just started a Flt Planning department. It is worthless. They took pilots and had them come in and file flt plans. You would think they never filed a flt plan before. Half the time you call for clearance. Nothing there. So it is a big waste of time for us.

 

[dsptchrnja]

Being a Center controller, I am interested in who files the flight plans for the fractionals? Years ago we used to think EJA pilots were doing their own.
Is this function contracted out or does each company have their own dispatchers doing it?

Years ago the pilots were doing their own. NJA started a dispatch department in 1999 with about a dozen part 121 licensed dispatchers. We've come a long way since then. Today we have over 30 dispatchers filing over 600+ flight plans a day and an Airspace/Noise desk with two ex-controller, licensed dispatchers who manage ATC liason and management. Right now we flight plan and file part 91, 91k, and 135 flights and later this year 121 supplemental for our NJLA program. If you have any questions call the company and ask for the airspace desk, they'll be happy to talk to you.

 

[Some Dude]

Controller when you see us with a flight plan for a cruise altitude of FL390 between TEB and HPN you know the pilots didn't file it. Oh yea when you try to clear us over the water route but we tell you that we need a reroute over land it's because the pilots have to fly a LEGAL route. We didn't file the flight plan. So please be patient.

Truth is the our dispatch at "Exec Jet" is overworked and understaffed. Bascially they only have time to flie the plan not much time to prepare a proper flight plan.

So if you see us filed through a level 6 squall line to a closed airport please be patient with our request for a reroute.

 

[FracCapt]

At Options they just started a Flt Planning department. It is worthless. They took pilots and had them come in and file flt plans. You would think they never filed a flt plan before. Half the time you call for clearance. Nothing there. So it is a big waste of time for us.

I've only had a few times that flight plans have not come up. Most have been in the past couple tours, even though they've been filing them for 4 months or so. For some they work all the time, others have lots of problems. Not sure why.

 

[AZ Typed]

Our 135 outfit - pilots plan and file (usually Capts). www.duats.com or www.fltplan.com. Typically works out well.

 

[ProFracPilot]

Dep676 comments not withstanding, I've had good luck with the company filing my flight plans. None have been dropped - always a clearance available. If I have a specific fuel load or alternate I want used for a given leg, I e-mail that to flight planning and they use it. On some of the short legs there's been a preferred routing that JetPlan doesn't yet know. You can send an e-mail to Mike Webber with these preferred routes and he'll add it to the JetPlan database.

Bottom line, as new as this process is I'm impressed with how well it has gone. And, I'm not easily impressed!

 

[Dep676]

Dep676 comments not withstanding, I've had good luck with the company filing my flight plans. None have been dropped - always a clearance available. If I have a specific fuel load or alternate I want used for a given leg, I e-mail that to flight planning and they use it. On some of the short legs there's been a preferred routing that JetPlan doesn't yet know. You can send an e-mail to Mike Webber with these preferred routes and he'll add it to the JetPlan database.

Bottom line, as new as this process is I'm impressed with how well it has gone. And, I'm not easily impressed!

Well it may be a new program. However it is not new to the guys doing it in CGF. They have been filing on the road for years. Some how once they get to CGF and do it they forget how to. It must be the kool-aid in the water there.

 

[popilot78]

No one, we only fly VFR direct!!

 

[Tommy Boy]

I'm with Dep676. It sucks. Wrong airport, wrong altitude, wrong times, not there at all.....

I will gladly keep filing my own. Fltplan.com does an awesome job. Way better than the jetplan in my opinion. And its easier to use. You can even use it from the blackberry:

http://fltplan.com/PDA.htm

Mike Weber is in the flight planning department? That's just perfect! He was one of those "What are you, a wussy boy? You don't need to worry about no stinking contaminated runway. I don't care if it is a short runway. You're part 91...Just do the trip boy!"" kind of guys...till HE crashed. Then got rewarded by becoming a hawker cpt.

That really explains a lot about our flight planning dept.

Not to mention that the comany drags pilots who are in cgf in maint in to the office to do paperwork and file fltplans. So you have unhappy pilots in there doing the work!! Of course these days pretty much all of our pilots are unhappy pilots.

And by the way...the only reason the company is trying this 'file our flight plans for us' routine...so they can give us shorter turn times. That is a fact from the mouth of our foolish leader. And we all know what a long, dragged out, time consuming practice throwing a flight plan on file is.