Closing VFR Flighplan in the UK

In the US, Flightplans filed via ForeFlight can be opened and closed via ForeFlight. It requires an internet connection, usually using an iPhone cellular service.

NCYankee wrote:

In the US, Flightplans filed via ForeFlight can be opened and closed via ForeFlight.

Nice. I wonder if the European version that’s just come out will offer that?

That should work over here too, presumably. VFR FPs are done wholly via the AFTN AFAIK, and IFR ones (Z Y I ) are done via Eurocontrol, which FF already does.

I wonder if the ‘supplementary information’ part of the FPL , including the vital cellphone number, is transmitted by online systems? It certainly wasn’t in the early days of electronic filing through DUATS, leading to an embarrassing conversation with Flight Service where I had to dictate my cell number over the air (which I wasn’t keen on) “In case I forgot to close”. As if! So I went back to telephone filing.

NCYankee wrote:

In the US, Flightplans filed via ForeFlight can be opened and closed via ForeFlight.

You can do the same with Skydemon for VFR flight plans. I’d have to imagine the European version of FF will also be able to do it.

alioth wrote:

You can do the same with Skydemon for VFR flight plans

Really? Please share how as I’ve never found this feature – only filing, delaying and closing.

Aveling wrote:

I wonder if the ‘supplementary information’ part of the FPL , including the vital cellphone number, is transmitted by online systems? It certainly wasn’t in the early days of electronic filing through DUATS, leading to an embarrassing conversation with Flight Service where I had to dictate my cell number over the air (which I wasn’t keen on) “In case I forgot to close”. As if! So I went back to telephone filing.

It is not supposed to be transmitted but be available on request for SAR purposes. So if FF, SD etc. does this properly, they will accept requests for supplementary information on whatever AFTN address they use to transmit the flight plan.

Easy VFR sends VFR flight plans as well. Seems FF and others will need ages to get to the same features like SD and EVFR got since long time. These programs have been around for some 15 years already, so no surprise. Vic

Peter wrote:

not closing my FP in [insert your favourite country but you can start with one really quite near the UK] and getting a €1000 bill for the S&R if there is nobody in the tower (or the fire station) who S&R could phone initially…

Before getting into AU-bill-raising activities, they call the mobile phone you put in the FP, don’t they? That’s literally the thousand-monetary-unit-call call not to miss.

Peter wrote:

f you have AFTN access, or somebody on the ground has, they can do it for you, by transmitting a DEP message. If you have a UK address you can get access to the AFPEX tool and that can do it. In principle you could do it airborne, over 4G or a satellite phone, but AFPEX needs a java-capable computer which in practical terms means a windows tablet.

The DFS AIS Portal (web interface) lets you send arbitrary DEP, ARR, DLA, CNL messages. It looks like it will work even if you didn’t file with them. No Java necessary. JavaScript necessary. Although it is most probably just a POST request in the end, you can script it :)

I did wonder why they didn’t phone me first. My number is always in the FP.