Let's not turn this into a flame war; I simply want to get a discussion
going on this. Also note that I am not yet a pilot, and I'm hoping to learn
something out of this. You stated:

"After a few calls from FSS when I forgot to close my VFR flight plan..."

By this reasoning, it would be appropriate for one to just make ALL of their
landings "wheels up" because they from time to time forgot to verify that
check list item.

Over the years, I have read many statements where pilots stopped filing
flight plans because they kept forgetting to close them. IMHO, this
indicates a somewhat lackadaisical attitude. If they forget to close their
flight plan, what else are they forgetting to do?

I have often heard that "the flight ain't over 'til the wheels are on the
ground and the prop's stopped turning." A CFI friend of mind always added
"and the flight plan is closed".

Would it perhaps be better, instead of simply abandoning a safety measure
because one forgets to properly use it, to develop the routine required to
properly use the safety measure?

TIA for your opinions...





"Peter R." wrote in message
...
Jay Beckman wrote:

That's my take on this too. IMO, it's "uber efficient" when dealing
with a
bug-smashing C172 just out for a breakfast run like I was this morning.

Do you file a VFR flight plan for all of your VFR flights (excluding
pattern work, of course)?

After a few calls from FSS when I forgot to close my VFR flight plan, I
sided with many in this group who advocated only filing a VFR FP when
flying out of radar coverage which, in my case, only applied when I was
flying up to the Adirondack mountains of NY state.

In all other cases, I rationalized that flying with flight following in
radar coverage negated the value of a VFR flight plan.

--
Peter
























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