How do you remember to close your flight plan?

With the average temperatures being what they are I honestly cannot imagine sitting in the plane on the ground any longer than absolutely necessary. So I call the number (in Poland they are called ARO – ATS Reporting Office, but they answer as “briefing”) from the nearest shady spot after shutting down.

Not proud of this, but I can confirm that FIS will call the number in the FPL, then the destination airfield, and probably get the person who answered to chase you, slap some sense into you, and have you call ARO/briefing who will give you a righteous bollocking. My worst mess-up was a phone on silent, happily driving home, fortunately the airfield called the person I was flying (and driving back with – the unexpected benefits of carpooling) with, and they answered.

The numbers to call are usually in the AIP, at least for EP (Poland); see ENR-1-5 section 4, closing a flight plan (ha!).

I find it a bit annoying that not every AIP makes it easy to find the Flight planning centre number who usually are more than happy to send your arrival message. I’d expect it to always be in ENR 1.10 or GEN 3.1

As others say I put it on the Shutdown checklist.

Here’s a list of ways from FAASafety.gov

Though I personally keep my flight plan active until landing I’d say getting a snide comment from ATS like…

Aveling wrote:

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.

…100% warrants a snapback with something like you suggested.

I always forget, and therefore close the flight plan in flight. Which is stupid, because prob99 what I would need a FP for is if I massed up on landing at a god forsaken place. Well, still alive

Dan wrote:

Now waiting for them to implement an inflight FPL opening option too

That would be a great help! As long as a confirmation email response is received!

Like Airborne_Again I also have it on my parking checklist (which is great for as long as I actually run that checklist!)

Thanks for all these numbers guys
Let’s add 2 for Switzerland:
+41 43/931-6203
+41 800/43-7837

I’ve been exclusively using SD to close my FPLs lately, Finland, Sweden, Italy, Corsica, Germany, Switzerland, and France, and it all worked to satisfaction.
Now waiting for them to implement an inflight FPL opening option too

belgium flight plans +32 2 206 25 40

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