Because they want to be certain you’ve landed before cancelling the S&R operation that would happen if you were more than 30 minutes late?
told by Lille that VFR plan cancelled as 300 ft OVC
Could it be that they said it that way because they did not know of any other way to tell you in English that you needed to divert? I would be very surprised if they really just cancelled the flight plan. And canceling your VFR flight plan does not serve any purpose AFAICS. You are still up there and they need to deal with you whether they like it or not.
Shorrick_Mk2 wrote:
How can a flight plan be “canceled” in flight?
I don’t get it either. If I have a VFR flight plan from A to B with alternate C and at some point I have a problem to keep visual between A and B, how can they cancel the flight plan? Does it mean “we are off the hook, you are on your own now”? I thought ATC was there to (also) help us not try to kill us.
Because they want to be certain you’ve landed before cancelling the S&R operation that would happen if you were more than 30 minutes late?
Sure, that’s how flightplans generally work in Europe. But the question was: why do they write in the AIP that closing flightplans with ATC whilst still in the air is possible?
closing flightplans with ATC whilst still in the air is possible?
Only at the request of the PIC. ATC cannot close your flight plan.
Agree with Vladi and Aviathor. Nobody in ATC or in the AIS system cancels flightplans, other than by mistake or possibly in very rare circumstances.
Noe wrote:
told by Lille that VFR plan cancelled as 300 ft OVC
Something is wrong with this one then. I understand it that ATC saw it was not VMC any more and said: we are going to cancel your FP because it is VMC. They might tell you that they cannot give you VMC landing clearance and maybe they don’t have/cannot issue Special VFR clearance and ask you about intentions but cancelling the FP, that would be reckless and I would report it.
Aviathor wrote:
Could it be that they said it that way because they did not know of any other way to tell you in English that you needed to divert?
I was talking in French to them. I can no longer remember the exact words but it was something like “Mauvaise nouvelle, Votre plan de vol a ete annule”. (for non french speakers, it would be more like “sorry but your flight plan has been cancelled” (not closed).
My worry was more in making sure my alternate was VFR and how to get there remaining VFR, so didn’t really ask for more details.
Noe wrote:
“Mauvaise nouvelle, Votre plan de vol a ete annule”
I would call Lille APP to understand how they can take such liberties.
On another note it was Lille APP that cleared me to descend on top of a VFR traffic at L2K…
it was Lille APP that cleared me to descend on top of a VFR traffic at L2K
That’s mandatory at LFAT, surely? 
