How do you remember to close your flight plan?

just because the app shows „closed“, does not mean the message has reached the right place

Well, nobody’s called me yet, and no helos in sight
On a slightly more serious note, one gets a Confirmation of Flightplan Closure when it’s done. There surely are exceptions, but up to now my experience of closing FPLs with SD has been very good, but for the glitches mentioned in/out of the Netherlands couple of weeks ago.

PS
Thanks @boscomantico, just transiting, but sure is a nice place… just love the North

As always in IT: it merely means that the message has left THAT system successfully. It does not say whether it was properly received and processed by the receiving end.

I don’t think any AFTN messages are acked in any normal meaning of the word.

Eurocontrol ack/nak theirs, obviously, and this is true whether the FP is filed via AFTN or the B2B VPN interface.

But on the AFTN in general nothing is acked. You get a system-level ack (like the old telex system did) but it doesn’t mean anybody or any system related to aviation has read it.

eurogaguest1980 wrote:

I had the same – something to do with one leg being in NL. CH-CH works, CH-FR-CH works, CH-IT-CH works, CH-DE works, but DE-NL and NL-BE-FR-CH didn’t (at least for me).

The Netherlands forces everybody to use their own home briefing tool, which is cloud-based since 2021. However, all Dutch aerodromes open and close your flight plan automatically, since they are always manned and have a computer for those flight plans, which is one tick in a box to open or close it.

Even though I do have Skydemon, I continue using the AIS services from the German ATC company (DFS), which includes free flight plans from and to all states. It works extremely well and they are 24/7 reachable by phone, in case of any issues. Also never had issues with flight plans from and to the Netherlands with them.

etn wrote:

On my recent trip to Gap (see “What have you done the weekend of 25th June” thread) we landed there at around 21:30 local time. No ATC to close the flight plan. The funny thing is, we barely exited the runway when the phone rang: it was Marseille (if I remember correctly) asking if we were on the ground. Wow, that was fast. “Yes, we just landed, as a matter of fact we have not even shut down the engine yet”, I said.
The guy countered with “Per the radar trace, you have been on the ground longer than that.” Maybe he lost me in the mountains?
“Have you closed your flight plan?” he asked. “I was about to call you for this after reaching parking position, but while we are at it could you please do it?” Which he did.

There are many accident in the alps in summer time, usually (not always) UK/German/Netherland pilots coming in the alps, and sometimes finishing in a forest or a slope… I think they were just giving more attention than usual.
From my experience, when Flying under declared FPL (IFR of VFR), French ATC have usually asked me if they have to close it when approaching the destination.

I just discovered this very useful number for all your flights in, into our out of France: +33 1 56 301 301.

One unique number for a variety of requests:

• File or modify a flight plan,
• Close a flight plan
• Get information on the Low Altitude Defense zones (RTBA in French)
• Get any other info

See here: https://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/pub/media/news/file//a/s/assistance_bria_-_fr_1.pdf

This is a number to have saved in the cell phone :)

Shut down checklist. Don’t exit the plane until it’s done and confirmed.

Sometimes you can also close the flight plan via FIS prior landing (VFR).

Will be a renewed challenge on my new homebase, as at ZRH the plans got closed by ATC on landing.

Thanks for sharing those!

Here’s also the BRIA in Bordeaux for your records: ‭+33 5 57 92 60 84‬

The number from Langen Info is also good to have: +49 6103 707 5500

belgium flight plans +32 2 206 25 40