How long are flight plans good for?

M

meritflyer

Well-Known Member
This is something no controller or FSS person can seem to answer.

If I file an IFR flight plan, how long is it good for in the system?

Also, what happens to it if I never actually use it?
 
I believe IFR plans are good for 2 hours without notifying ATC. You can always request an extension if you call up FSS or ATC, however. If you do not activate any flight plan, they will cancel out after these times and everybody just assumes that you never took off.
 
Also, notably, when departing on an IFR clearance from an uncontrolled field, your clearance void time is how long it is good for.
 
How long are flight plans good for?
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Three days after the expiration date. But I usually give them the sniff test before I throw them out. I'm a poor CFI, so I'm not above using a flight plan that is a few days past it's date. Just make sure nothing is growing on it. :D
 
FriendlySkies said:
I believe IFR plans are good for 2 hours without notifying ATC. You can always request an extension if you call up FSS or ATC, however. If you do not activate any flight plan, they will cancel out after these times and everybody just assumes that you never took off.
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I have also been told 2 hours on several different occasions by ATC. I know I have definitely picked up clearances well over an hour past my filed ETD.
 
meritflyer said:
This is something no controller or FSS person can seem to answer.

If I file an IFR flight plan, how long is it good for in the system?

Also, what happens to it if I never actually use it?
Click to expand...


I think your plan will drop out of the system after an hour if you don't call for the clearance. Once you have the clearance, it is good for two hours. I am 99 percent sure about the two hours, the one hour thing is just from experience, I can't find a reference.

If you never use the flight plan, god kills a kitten.
 
I had always thought 2 hours also, however last monday I called a class D tower to update my time and he told me flight plans were good for four hours now. Said that they had just changed it. YMMV
 
matt152 said:
Three days after the expiration date. But I usually give them the sniff test before I throw them out. I'm a poor CFI, so I'm not above using a flight plan that is a few days past it's date. Just make sure nothing is growing on it. :D
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Just keep it refrigerated and you should be OK
 
AIM 5-1-8. They are in the system for atleast 4 hours. You are requested to file atleast 4 hours prior to flight if flying above FL230. But it does not say how much longer they are in the system.
 
cmill said:
I had always thought 2 hours also, however last monday I called a class D tower to update my time and he told me flight plans were good for four hours now. Said that they had just changed it. YMMV
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Yeah, 4 hours. Thats been my experience for the last six or eight months.
 
Mike H said:
Just keep it refrigerated and you should be OK
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I like to just refrigerate half at a time and put the other half in the freezer until I'm ready to use it. Just remember if you decide to thaw it out later in the microwave to use a non-metallic surface. :D
 
Air Pirate said:
I like to just refrigerate half at a time and put the other half in the freezer until I'm ready to use it. Just remember if you decide to thaw it out later in the microwave to use a non-metallic surface. :D
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That's a good procedure. Back it up with a checklist.
 
VFR 1 hr.
5-1-4

When a VFR flight plan
is filed, it will be held by the FSS until 1 hour after the
proposed departure time unless:
1. The actual departure time is received.
2. A revised proposed departure time is
received.
3. At a time of filing, the FSS is informed that
the proposed departure time will be met, but actual
time cannot be given because of inadequate
communications (assumed departures).
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IFR
Minimum of 1hr
5-1-12
s

5-1-12. Change in Proposed Departure
Time
a. To prevent computer saturation in the en route
environment, parameters have been established to
delete proposed departure flight plans which have not
been activated. Most centers have this parameter set
so as to delete these flight plans a minimum of 1 hour
after the proposed departure time. To ensure that a
flight plan remains active, pilots whose actual
departure time will be delayed 1 hour or more beyond
their filed departure time, are requested to notify ATC
of their departure time.
b. Due to traffic saturation, control personnel
frequently will be unable to accept these revisions via
radio. It is recommended that you forward these
revisions to the nearest FSS.
Click to expand...

I had always thought it was 2hrs
 
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