The FAA is seeking input from pilots about its plans to shut down its network of remote communications outlets (RCO), which allows pilots to communicate with Flight Service while flying.
According to a notice of intent filed March 27, 2025, in the Federal Register, the FAA intends to decommission all 936 RCOs across the Continental United States due to decreased demand.
FAA officials explained that Flight Service provides inflight advisory services over a radio network of 936 frequencies, noting the infrastructure was developed more than 40 years ago with “little or no modifications since.”
Agency officials report that in the mid-1980s, Flight Service received 22,000 service requests each day across this network, while today they receive fewer than 300 a day.
“This 99% reduction in the volume of requests is not representative of a reduction in flights. Rather, it is a result of a move to new technology,” the notice said, explaining that new technology has “made it possible for users today to receive the information and services that Flight Service provides without the need for radio communications.”
“The remaining infrastructure and staffing for this outdated method costs taxpayers millions of dollars annually to support the small number of pilots that have not converted to mobile technology,” the notice continued. “In January 2016, a MITRE study found that a vast majority of the frequencies were duplicate, overlapping, and seldom used.”
In 2017, after a public comment period that generated just 13 comments, the FAA decommissioned 641 frequencies, including 404 RCOs and 237 VOR outlets for a cost savings estimated at $2.5 million annually in maintenance costs, with additional savings realized once leases and voice switch infrastructure were decreased.
It is the FAA’s intent to decommission all remaining 936 RCOs after a final rule is published.
“The FAA is interested in comments concerning the move to decommission the remaining 936 Remote Communications Outlets,” according to the notice. “Users are welcome to include comments concerning any other aspect of your experience with Flight Service.”
Deadline to submit comments is May 27, 2025. You can submit your comments at FederalRegister.gov. As of April 10, 114 comments had already been submitted.
According to officials with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, many pilots are not yet equipped to operate safely without the network and say the plan for a complete shutdown is premature.
“A phased reduction of the network under which services meet current demand would be a preferable alternative,” said Jim McClay, AOPA’s director of airspace, air traffic, and security.
I have flown VFR all over the US. I’ve never filed a VFR flight plan.
If redundancy is necessary for safety then it would seem well to keep the RCO’s. I can see they are of little use to the IFR world other than initial contact from remote airports. I’m a VFR pilot, tend to use internet, cellular and satellite services presently, but have used the RCO’s in the past and do get some comfort in knowing they are available.
I have found filing VFR flight plans is a joke.
ATC can’t or won’t activate them, when they exist, preferring Flight Following for some reason, in my experience.
Not all of want or need ForeFlight and believe it or not I have been able to prove that airplanes fly just fine without it.
So many gadgets in the planes these days that pilots have forgotten to look out the windscreen. Heck, I know of one pilot who landed 20 miles short of his non-towered home base because his radio died. What are we teaching student pilots today?
Correct me if I’m wrong but CD phone numbers are posted in the AFD for all airports with approaches. If you are departing from a non ‘IFR’ airport there is generally one close by that you can use that ph #. I believe that the vast majority of pilots are pretty conservative, fiscally. Including me but we are the first to bitch when an outdated service is being taken away. We don’t like any fees, ie. ramp, landing … So maybe we should help keep the cost down by cooperating when cost can be eliminated unless absolutely necessary.
I fly across remote Western ND, Eastern and Central and NW MT. If there’s icing forecast at the MEA’s there are many times a VFR flight is a viable option. However, I never depart without filing a flight plan. How am I supposed to open a VFR Flight Plan without access to RCO’s? ARTCC’s are not going to want to deal with this!
Might want to used the these guys in the control towers across the us with ATC to help augment ATC and the weather conditions along the IFR routs.
Call me old fashioned but I teach students to call for a weather briefing and file a flight plan. Unfortunately I’d say 80% of the time we are unable to activate the flight plan by radio. So smart phone to the rescue. I have nothing against new technology (Foreflight etc) but like to at least expose my students to all methods. I am a firm believer in Flight Following.
Things change, sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly.
Sadly, with aviation in particular, since it is very connected to FAA (govt rules), change is almost always slow. The RCO and Flight Service are things of the past. Yes, both have some use and with a LITTLE work, ATC can take over the functions that Flight Service has. The RCO’s (BUT NOT RCAG’s) are way past their day.
The FSS and RCO tech was excellent in it’s day, but now things have IMPROVED. Online wx brief, cell phones, have changed the way pilots get their info. There is still room for improvement. (How many pilots under 30 years of age have ever called for briefing, and be told the very useful “VFR Not Recommended” which seemed to be on almost every briefing )
If this was in the business world, we would have dropped NDB’s, RCO’s and FSS long ago.
I have flown an NDB instrument approach many times. I did all my instrument training in an IDR certified plane with no GPS. 2 VOR’s (1 with an ILS) and an NDB.
I started using DUATS when it first came out and never looked back.
They could phase out Flight Service along with shutting down the RCOs. It would have no for many of us and most of what they provide can be accomplished via other means.
RCOs are needed at uncontrolled airports for IFR to obtain a clearance and release. Not all airports have radio comm capability on the ground with ATC. Sure one can use a cell phone to call the appropriate ATC facility as long as one knows the phone number.
True on all points. I’d add that approach control and national IFR clearance numbers are easily found.