IFR plan - Not in the system
The new system is not anywhere near perfect.
On 5 occasions, I have arrived at a destination on a VFR upgrade to IFR, lodged in the air with ATC, due weather changes and to be told on arrival when calling CANCEL SAR
"We don't have any details for you"
TRY That!!
I can beat that with one even more worrysome....
I did a mission a while back (not long enough for major regulatory changes to have had an effect), YCEM - YMIA.
The Wx was such, that I thought it would be a good idea to put in a full plan (VFR in G) and SARTIME. This proved really helpful when the Wx forced me into CTA, and due to the fact I had a plan in the system, I was able to get the required clearances with no fuss. When the dust finally settled and I recalculated my arrival for YMIA, I realised i was going to blow my sartime by 20 odd minutes. No trouble, plenty of fuel, dialled up flightwatch, submit an amended Sartime. New sartime readback pefect, alls good.
Arrival overhead YMIA, call up to cancel Sartime to be told that no sartime was held for me.... WTF!!!
If things had gone pearshaped for me, what hope of help did i truly have? I did everything in my power to ensure the system had the best infornmation, including my exact location when i amended my sartime, to ensure I got help in the fastest time should i need it, and instead of an update, i got cancelled.
Are we safer? i think not..those guys have too many buttons to push now, mistakes are too easy.
WTF happened to my SARTIME!!!