On 5/29/2007 3:42:28 AM, "Gerald S." wrote:

My friend who thought it was 2
hours. The only reference I can find says it varies from center to
center. Is this correct? Any real world experience?

My real world experience in the northeast US over the last four years
concurs. The IFR flight plan typically will be available to the ATC facility
handling your clearance from 30 minutes prior to your planned departure time
to two hours after.

If you know you are not going to depart until after the two hour window, you
can use FSS to adjust the departure time during that period, or you can use
the ATC facility that will handle your outbound clearance (for example, you
are flying IFR into an airport and know that your departure out of that
airport will exceed your scheduled departure time by the two hours - ask that
controller handling your approach to hold the flight plan for your new
departure time).

--
Peter