Anyone have a good trick to remember to close your flight plan? I wish SD would do this automatically, or at least pop up a reminder, but it doesn’t. I usually try to get ATC to do it while still in the air, but often forget. Happy to get your tips. If you know of an API to open/close flight plans, please let me know. I assume FF and SD have found one somewhere…
I know it shouldn‘t be relied upon, but the most important thing is to put your phone number into the flightplan, and to NOT switch iyou phone to flight mode in flight. One day you will forget, and this your safety net.
Other than that, it‘s a matter of resolving to FIRST make that phone call after prop stops. No matter what happened on the flight, no matter who meets you at the aircraft (friendly or not).
well, I usually think about closing the flight plan whilst sending my arrival message to wifey… she’s informed about my departures / arrivals 
Another easy way would of course to set an alarm on your phone, pad, or else, ask your flying buddies to remind you, etc.
Excuse the first thread drift, but last week we were unable to close our FPLs via SD… some message, which I unfortunately didn’t save, told us that the operation was not possible due FIS services opposing, or something vaguely in those lines… well, I’ll check tomorrow, and report here 
It would be a great pity to have lost this function, just when I was about to propose SD to implement an “open FPL” function, which one could activate after take-off.
eurogaguest1980 wrote:
Anyone have a good trick to remember to close your flight plan?
I have it on my parking checklist.
AFAIK, closing flightplans via SD never worked reliably, across all countries.
I always do it before leaving the plane, just after shutdown, while I am in « pilot mode ». Once on the apron, I get back to « ground mode » and staying focused on the task at hand is way more difficult.
Dan wrote:
ast week we were unable to close our FPLs via SD… some message, which I unfortunately didn’t save, told us that the operation was not possible due FIS services opposing, or something vaguely in those lines
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).
I do it while taxing – turning on Bluetooth and making phone call the same way as making radio call.
In the US, I always switch to Flight Service to close the plan (VFR) before selecting the tower frequency. It’s easy to remember at that time and avoids the inevitable distractions that arise in taxiing and parking at an unfamiliar place. If you are within range of the tower, there’s no need for the ‘free insurance’ of an FPL, at least once you’ve established two-way.
Back when FPL’s even mattered in U.K., I got severely rebuked by ATC for asking to close a plan before wheels on ground. “We have a duty of care” the stroppy voice said “you might crash on final”. Just like flying circuits then? It’s my plan and I’ll close it when I want.
Just last week, Sweden Control prompted me on arrival at an unattended field: “would you like to close your plan now, or later?”. “Now will do fine, thanks”. The trouble is that the European habit of towers closing plans seamlessly breeds very bad habits which come back with a vengeance in places like NZ where you get fined. Towers in the US will absolutely not close a plan for you, reinforcing the discipline of taking personal responsibility. But at least there’s usually a flight service frequency that works on the ramp.
I’ve twice forgotten to close in the US: the first time I got a humorous warning that they were “about to launch the helicopters”, and the second an informed account of what actually happens: 1) they call the tower, case closed 2) no tower or FBO, they send the Sherriff to look for your tail no. on the ramp 3) if no show, then maybe helicopters. They will know where to start looking with ADSB and the transponder light almost never stops flicking, even in the most remote places.
Europe is a minefield and I always ask “close flight plan” on the ground just in case. Except when I forget.
I usually think about closing the flight plan whilst sending my arrival message to wifey… she’s informed about my departures / arrivals
Mine too and despite my installing a Flightaware link with our tail number to wifey, she appreciates the phone call. I don’t think she’s ever used the link, even though ADS-B would tell her where I’ve been (as well as anybody she called if I didn’t).
In the US, I always switch to Flight Service to close the plan (VFR) before selecting the tower frequency.
I haven’t filed a flight plan in the US for over 20 years and have no plans to ever do so. End of problem for me
But at least there’s usually a flight service frequency that works on the ramp.
Really? Interesting, I’ll have to try that some time.
