| No. VFR flight following is not a substitute for an active flight plan, which must be filed and opened with flight service. FAR 91.707 requires filing a flight plan unless otherwise authorized by air traffic control. Since you won't know whether ATC will actually authorize entering Canadian airspace without a flight plan until you are in radio contact, it is a good idea to file a flight plan during preflight to be assured of being able to transit Canadian airspace. Join the discussion > This discussion is from our online Pilot Information Center, where you can ask questions, contribute answers, earn badges, and join our growing pilot community online. (Log in to the online Pilot Information Center using your AOPA website username and password to see this discussion.) Have a question for our technical services staff? Contact AOPA. | 
