Canadian IFR/VFR Flight Plan

David Megginson wrote in message . net.cable.rogers.com...
gwengler wrote:

Yes, if you cancel IFR, Canadian ATC will give you the option of changing
the rest of your flight plan to VFR.

I believe that is incorrect. If I remember correctly, you have to
file an entire new VFR flight plan. It is not possible to "convert"
IFR into "VFR". Some years ago, I flew at night IFR from Regina to
Saskatoon, got into icing conditions halfway, turn back to VMC and
than had to air-file a complete new VFR flight plan.

Possibly because of a route change? Here's what the AIP says about the
issue (RAC 3.12.2):

When flying IFR, use of the phrase "Cancelling IFR" results in ATC
discontinuing the provision of IFR separation, but it does not
automatically close the flight plan or flight itinerary. Therefore,
alerting service with regards to search and rescue notification is still
active and is based upon the information submitted in the original flight
plan or itinerary. Because the pilot is now flying in accordance with
Visual Flight Rules (VFR), the flight plan or itinerary must either be
closed prior to landing, or an arrival report filed after landing, with an
air traffic control unit, a flight service station or a community
aerodrome station.

Normally, I cancel IFR only when I'm close to my destination and want to
avoid a lot of vectoring around for IFR separation, but when I have
cancelled earlier in a flight, ATC has asked me explicitly if I wanted to
keep my search-and-rescue time (i.e. convert to a VFR flight plan).


All the best,


David

David,

I don't want to be just controversial or too hairsplitting; however, I
think you seem to believe that keeping your search and rescue portion
of the flight plan constitutes flying under a flight plan or flight
itinerary after having "cancelled IFR". Nowhere in the paragraph
cited by you does it say that your IFR flight plan is now converted
into a VFR flight plan. To be hairsplittingly correct, there would be
some ambiguity, for example, in equipment codes: You are not "G"
under IFR, but legally "G" under VFR using your handheld GPS.
The case described by you is of course the most common. I almost
always cancel IFR shortly before I arrive at an uncontrolled airport
and usually cancel the search and rescue portion as well. Your
statement "ATC has asked me explicitly if I wanted to keep my
search-and-rescue time (i.e. convert to a VFR flight plan).", however,
is simply incorrect. The "conversion" is not taking place. This is
not at all relevant for day-to-day real life flying but it is relevant
in the case experienced by me where I cancelled IFR about one hour
before ETA. The routing and all other information was exactly the
same IFR and VFR. Without re-filing in the air I would have been in
contravention of CAR 602.73 (2):
"No pilot-in-command shall operate an aircraft in VFR flight unless a
VFR flight plan or a VFR flight itinerary has been filed, except where
the flight is conducted within 25 nautical miles of the departure
aerodrome."

Anyone cares to comment about this from a US perspective?

Gerd