Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial
Situational Awareness
Conflict NMAC
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
We were on a daytime cross country flight. We took off with flight following on a heading of 110 assigned by Tower. We were switched to Departure who gave us instructions to climb on present heading which we complied. After a while I asked for own navigation as we were on this departure heading for longer than normal - I had to ask twice as ATC did not respond the first time - and ATC gave us own nav. We flew own nav for a while and then ATC gave us a vector of 120 for the next controller and would give us own nav right before he switched us to the next controller; which he did. We continued on our flight and were instructed to contact Orlando TRACON. PUI (Pilot Under Instruction) called and checked in and Orlando responded. The frequency seemed more quiet than normal but this is the first time I can recall being on 134.95 so I didn't think much of it. As we were en-route; the G1000 gave us a traffic call (I do not remember the exact call but it was low and coming closer) I was looking for traffic and did not see any. I raised and lowered the wing to try and acquire the traffic but didn't see anything. The G1000 was showing traffic 200 ft. below us right under and to the left of our position. I was wondering if this was a 'ghost' aircraft as the G1000 has alerted me to traffic close to me before and then just disappears and ultimately there would be no other aircraft. As I continued to scan I looked left and saw a tail wheel aircraft at the same altitude - seemed to be climbing - and within a couple hundred feet of us. I immediately took controls and evasive action by making a very steep right turn. At the same time as I was doing this ATC called with a traffic alert for us and to make a right turn immediately if the traffic was not in sight. I reported that I made a turn and traffic was in sight and that I had to make the right turn to avoid; and he asked me something (which I cannot remember) and I said yes if I didn't turn it would have been a near midair (by saying that I meant that it probably would have been a collision). The controller switched us to the next frequency - 132.65 - and I queried that controller about filing a report for a NMAC and he provided me a number to do so.Not to say ATC wasn't doing their job as we were VFR and responsible for traffic separation but we got this traffic alert extremely late (probably too late if I didn't see the aircraft first) while on flight following. I have never had any experience like this under radar contact on flight following with ATC. This frequency was dead quiet - it didn't seem like this Controller was working another frequency as well because in that case ATC would be addressing aircraft and we wouldn't hear a response (which was not the case now). I should have not let the thought go so long that it might be a 'ghost' aircraft and queried ATC about the traffic the G1000 was alerting us to when I didn't have them in sight and getting closer.
C172 pilot reported a NMAC while on VFR flight following.