Forgot to close flight plan

"Teacherjh" wrote in message
...

Rather than explain, let me ask how a search is begun for an
aircraft that does not land when it is expected to. Say you
hand off to the tower, and the aircraft does not contact the
tower. The plane is below radar.


There are no handoffs without radar.



A few minutes go by, then a few more, and still no contact.
Perhaps the airplane has been abudcted by aliens, or has crashed
in the forest, or has had an electrical failure, or the nut behind the
yoke came off. So, what happens?


The tower calls the facility providing IFR services.



When?


A few minutes after the time that was passed to the tower.



Triggered by what?


Non-contact with the aircraft.



Why?


Because there should have been contact by that time.



Same question, nontowered.


Usually the first step is to call the FBO.

Teacherjh wrote:



Rather than explain, let me ask how a search is begun for an aircraft that does
not land when it is expected to.

If you don't call in to cancel your flight plan then S&R is started.


Say you hand off to the tower, and the
aircraft does not contact the tower.

Happens every day. Lots of times I'll just let you land without a
clearance. You'll never do that again.


The plane is below radar. A few minutes
go by, then a few more, and still no contact. Perhaps the airplane has been
abudcted by aliens, or has crashed in the forest, or has had an electrical
failure, or the nut behind the yoke came off. So, what happens? When?
Triggered by what? Why?

S&R is started when you don't arrive.



Same question, nontowered.


S&R is started when you don't cancel your flight plan.

S&R is started when you don't arrive.

Well, here's the detail I'm looking for: How do they know you don't arrive -
they have to be told that you will. How do they know when you will arrive -
they have to be told the time to expect you. So, "some time" goes by and you
haven't arrived. S&R is started.

How much time is "some time"? (I'm not asking for an exact number - I'm well
aware that it may not exist).

And the "action" in this case is being told that you will arrive, and "some
time" going by without an arrival. Yes?

Jose

--
(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

Teacherjh wrote:

S&R is started when you don't arrive.


Well, here's the detail I'm looking for: How do they know you don't arrive -
they have to be told that you will. How do they know when you will arrive -
they have to be told the time to expect you. So, "some time" goes by and you
haven't arrived. S&R is started.

How much time is "some time"? (I'm not asking for an exact number - I'm well
aware that it may not exist).

If the tower has a flight strip printer and no radar you know exactly
when he will arrive because of the time printed on the strip. At about
ten miles out the center will tell that aircraft to contact tower. If
you don't contact tower at or before your expected landing time the
tower will call the center and ask about the aircraft. It will become
immediately clear during that conversation where the airplane is. If
the tower has no printer the center will call the tower with all
inbounds and give the same time as the computer would have.



And the "action" in this case is being told that you will arrive, and "some
time" going by without an arrival. Yes?

Yes.