Well, we did the flight from Saginaw to Cleveland and back... As
promised I did file VFR and I will never, never, never, pinch me, n e
v e r, do that again... What a ghastly experience... And this is
from a fella who has been flying the ATC system for over 40 years - but
hasn't filed a VFR flight plan within that time frame (that I can
remember)..
Anyway, Out on the ramp I phoned and got the Lansing FSS... Rattled off
the usual flight plan info... Waited for the usual CRAFT response and
then gotcha #1 rose up... (I should have known right then!) She didn't
read back the plan!!!
"OK, it's filed... Hayuv a nice day.", she chirped...
Slight pause on my part (the deer in the headlights look, my son, DL,
later dryly mentioned) as I was well into the role of mentor and
smoothly showing my son how it is done by a pro I thought ....
"Uhhh, I didn't get a squawk."
"Oh, I can't give you a squawk, ATC will assign that when you open your
flight plan."

Well, OK I can live with that, and I know where I'm going, I hope she
remembered... So we saddled up and turned lose those thumpin 150 HP
engines on Fat Albert... Airborne I coach DL through the mechanics of
contacting the nearest ATC and asking for the flight plan to be
opened... Gotcha #2 grins at us... Saginaw approach says they "don't"
open VFR flight plans... (Note, they didn't say can't, just don't - can
you spell 'controllers union versus the privatized FSS'?)
"You will have to talk to FSS.", click and silence...

Well, OK Martha Jane, I DO know how to talk to FSS... So we dial up FSS
and after a few calls get the nice lady... "Oh, your flight plan is
opened."...
So, back to Mr. Wonderful at Saginaw Approach...
highly condensed
"57 Pop is back with you and the VFR flight plan to Cleveland is
opened."
"OK, I can give you flight followingheh, heh, heh Squawk
'snookered', maintain 3500, blah, blah, blah...".... picture me with
sour expression
So, a few miles later we get told, "Leaving my airspace, radar services
terminated, squawk VFR.. You may be able to contact Flint." click...
silence...
Wearily I call Flint Approach... "Who are you, where are you, how high
are you (by now I wish)... And while he didn't say, why are you
bothering me, the attitude was there... The instant you say VFR flight
plan, the temperature in the voice drops 10 degrees...

The Coupe De Grass came on the return leg North lots of grubby details
condensed After Cleveland Approach pinged me to FSS and they ponged me
back, Cleveland finally, grudgingly, gave me a squawk,then waited until
I just touched Canadian Airspace and with a gloat in the voice says:
drum roll you all know what's coming
"Leaving my airspace, return to VFR, have a nice day.", click!
At that point I became annoyed and bluntly told ATC, "Wait a minute
Jack... I am in international airspace and you don't just dump me."
"Well, you can try contacting Detroit." Knowing full well that I am out
of range for Detroit

So, we spent the next 15+ miles calling Detroit... When I finally
reached them it was the three stooges who-what-why-go away routine all
over...

This morning I called the Great Lakes FSDO and spoke to an OPS
specialist... At first she gave me the party line... "tsk, tsk, I
don't know how that could happen, after all a VFR flight plan and
flight following are different programs."
After a bit she warmed up and finally told me, "Well Lockheed Martin
took over FSS and everything is changing and we don't know what ATC is
doing or why."

So, there you have it folks... File VFR and you become a scab walking
into the middle of a sit down strike... Beats me... I have been
banging around airports for over 60 years and flying the ATC system for
over 40 years, and I don't have a clue what to do...

denny