Originally Posted by
mcoates
All that you need to claim on your first contact with air traffic control is "unfamiliar with area" that then transfers the responsibility (as much as a can) for air traffic control to give you assistance in staying legal in an area that you don't frequent.
I like it because it gives you two benefits, firstly they know you are not familiar with the area so may not know what you are doing all the details of local landmarks and reporting points and secondly it gives you the confidence that even if you get it wrong they will be there to provide assistance and keep you legal.
I learnt very early on that there assistance can be invaluable when there is bad weather and you are not familiar with areas you are flying into. But learning about these areas and the procedures as well as knowing your limits is all part of the adventure that we call aviation
Fantastic advice and not used nearly enough. I did it once and got cleared straight through the middle of military airspace......
RIP fellow aviators...
Was the aircraft located?