[Dead Dog]

1) Flight Planning is pain in the butt, and in most parts of the US, of very limited value. Ie. If the airplane goes down, you either have time to call in your location, or your dead. A flight plan wouldn't have helped these folks, just waisted gas and airframe time on a C-130.

If I were flying over BFE Alaska, I would agree it's a good idea. Flying up and down the Willamette Valley, or even the coast range..it's a complete waist of resources.

2) Radar fallowing? Transiting Class C and B airspace it is good, Flying over boonyville at 2000ft..it doesn't help much. Besides, if you can't see it you are going to hit it, whether they tell you it's there or not. In my experience, people look outside the airplane better when they don't have someone on the ground looking for them.

Both provide a false sense of security.

[Archangelsk]

Flight Planning is pain in the butt, and in most parts of the US, of very limited value.

Go here for the greatest thing since sliced bread for flight planning.