Without diving into the whole MDX imbroglio I can say that if these circumstances occurred in a similar situation in the US it would have been sorted immediately and ASSISTANCE not just clearances would have been freely given and I have no doubt that a safe end to the flight would have resulted.
I am unsure why many here take every opportunity to defend an archaic and oft dysfunctional system. While the FSO ATC likely followed PROCEDURES in accordance with their existing manual of standards equivalent therefore cannot be personally culpable, in US the guy at the other end of the radio is safety and assistance focussed and will readily offer advice or clear the way to get someone out of trouble by whatever means.
Likely the pilot would already be on Flight Following which is almost always available in the US to anyone anytime, with or without notification, VFR day or night, experimental, whatever. It is great and in the case of MDX type issues, there would be no issue.
Until you have used the US system ( or UK, or the EU) and become comfortable how simple it is to use and how well it works, you cannot understand how totally fcuked up our super safe system is. And it does not provide the level of safety it claims. Big skies and no planes make it work. We even have to funnel planes into corridors and entry points to get them close enough together to make it sufficiently dangerous to justify towers, but then use procedures rather than radar to stop them hitting each other.
Airspace reform is needed but It will never happen here in the lucky country because most would rather default to tall poppy syndrome than support some force for change. If MDX is the vehicle to keep it on the 'radar' so be it.
Rant mode ON
I'm looking for work overseas at the moment, I'm just so sick of CASA, Avmed, petty little pedantic FOI's who look for enforcement as a first action, who feel free to interpret (ie twist to their tiny narrow world) rules, and then make serious grief when called out. Sick of an overall system that makes arbitrary rules that have reverse safety outcomes, but that will steamroll those who try to actually do the right thing. Petty stupid system, written by lawyers, based on complicated expensive procedures by people on big salaries and super, BUT no initiative, nouse, or fundamental core competencies. People who do not care about aviation, ga or transport, and who will smash anyone based on their facile sanctimoneous enforcement of safety. Stop all the planes, all the operators all the maintainers, the flight crews, the manufacturers, the support industries by making everything SO FCUKING COMPLICATED and manual/process reliant, rather than 'fostering aviation ' which was in the original DCA charter.
No planes=totally safe, mission accomplished. An aviation minister who has NFI in a government with no aviation policy. Redevelop airports as parking and shopping precincts or prime housing developments. Aviation in Australia, who needs it! Bah,
Aviation does not need to be this regulation and process bound, so complicated and time consuming for even simple tasks, it can be fun, enjoyable AND SAFER.
Trying to select rant mode to OFF, but it's jammed .........
HD