Premature closure of GA flight plans
I work in ATC in a regional airport which provides a LARS service. We are often asked by GA pilots to close their flight plans whilst they are en-route to their private home strip returning from a foreign trip.
Many of my team are not happy to do this for a variety of reasons - first and foremost, the aircraft has not arrived safely at their destination and the plan is being closed prematurely whilst they are still airborne.
The pilot is really resonsible for this action and my understanding is that they can ring the NATS AFPEX help desk and do it themselves. If that is the case - they should be doing it themselves.
If all else fails, I would feel happier if they rang us when safely landed and we could send an ARR message with a clear conscience knowing that they actually have arrived.
I would be interested in the views of ATC colleagues and pilots themselves as we are getting more and more of these requests and I think for the sake of safety - the subject is worth airing.