So, we've learnt that if you want flight following, don't rely on the FAA VFR flight plan if your company has a more reliable system. However, filing one if you don't have such a company system would/should be better than not at all.
Yes....An FAA flight plan basically means you have filed a route with a briefer. If you fail to close it within 20 minutes of your proposed landing time, they start making phone calls.
Yes, our own tracking system is better. This was a "fire helicopter" and has a satellite tracking system installed, and lots of people watch that......
The report stated the pilot was "incapacitated"....I am not going to divulge medical information, so if you want to talk about tracking and flight plans---that is general and not specific to this incident.