david viewing

In my experience this is a uniquely UK interpretation. I also once got lambasted by ATC (won't say who, but it was a long time ago) through having the temerity to ask for an in-flight termination.

In the US, in Ireland, in Scandinavia closing from the air is accepted practice. Finland, for instance, want you to note on the FPL which station you will close it with when routing to an uncontrolled field (So does the US - that "Close with xxx FSS" at the bottom of the FPL form). Perhaps this is to ensure they have a copy of the FPL and I suppose that's the issue with the chaotic, amateurish UK VFR FPL system where even London Information can't close flight plans.

PS As part of the lambasting referred to and continued afterwards on the internet, I was told by ATC that they have 'a duty of care' toward the pilot and 'could not close a plan before your wheels are safely on the ground'. How does closing from the air differ from an unnounced local flight in terms of risk then?

IO540

Oh yes, that "duty of care" thing.

This has got to be the best gravy train for lawyers in all of this century so far.

It's nearly all bollox, too. Next time it is mentioned, ask for any legal precedents. There aren't any. It is a product of this: you describe a situation to a lawyer and ask him "is there any liability here"? His rate is £250/hr plus VAT. Is he going to say "of course not" ???

ATC have no conceivable liability to GA traffic, in any situation whatsoever short of vectoring an IFR flight into terrain, or a midair involving a loss of IFR/IFR separation in CAS.

M609

In Norway it´s not a rule, but we mostly ask aircraft inbound unmanned aerodromes on a VFR flight plan how they intend to close it.

"....G-XXXX do you intend to close your flight plan with us on radio before landing or via telephone on the ground after landing...."

Or some such phrase.

Saves A LOT of spurious overdue actions, since the overlying CTR, TMA or ACC controller is responsible for closing the damm things.
When ETA is passed with 30min our radar/FPL system gives a "SAR alert" on the relevant flight if it has not been closed.