IFR flight plan timing

MooneyDriver78

MooneyDriver78

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Tom
How far ahead of my proposed departure time can I file a flight plan? How accurate does the proposed departure time need to be?
I plan on a 2 hop trip with stop for fuel and want to file the second leg before starting.
 
There's no way to put a day in the prosed departure time, so you're limited to 24 hours in advance.

The plan is typically available 30 minutes before the proposed departure time (provided you filed it before then) and up to two hours after, though this is configurable by facility.
 
Just file for what you computed to be the proposed times. If you're going to be either late or early just make a quick call to FSS and change your proposed time. I generally won't pick up the clearance more than 15 minutes before my proposed. I got burned a few times thinking it was available but it was really not that big of a deal
 
teejayevans said:
How far ahead of my proposed departure time can I file a flight plan? How accurate does the proposed departure time need to be?
I plan on a 2 hop trip with stop for fuel and want to file the second leg before starting.
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Save the route in Duats and file once you get out of the plane. By the time fuel and potty ATC will have it.
 
flyingron said:
There's no way to put a day in the prosed departure time, so you're limited to 24 hours in advance.

The plan is typically available 30 minutes before the proposed departure time (provided you filed it before then) and up to two hours after, though this is configurable by facility.
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That's exactly what I experience; 30 and 2.
jordane93 said:
Just file for what you computed to be the proposed times. If you're going to be either late or early just make a quick call to FSS and change your proposed time. I generally won't pick up the clearance more than 15 minutes before my proposed. I got burned a few times thinking it was available but it was really not that big of a deal
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Predicting the time accurately is a game I play in my head. Flying for pleasure is often about doing what you want, when you want, so I don't share my game. If you are within 30 and 2, no need to call and adjust. Outside of that, I re-file but I avoid re-filing unnecessarily because it can get confusing.
Clip4 said:
Save the route in Duats and file once you get out ofhttp://nyti.ms/1jLDXqm plane. By the time fuel and potty ATC will have it.
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Agreed. Filing at fuel stops works well. Beats calling FSS while working an arrival.
 
Fltplan.com will allow you to file it early, they just queue it until 2 hours before the departure.
 
Last week we had three legs on our way home, dropping people at two stops along the way. I filed all three several hours ahead of time, guesstimating our ground time at each stop to get a proposed departure. We ended up hitting all the numbers pretty close and ATC had all our plans ready to go as soon as we requested them.

If I'm going to be more than an hour and a half behind schedule I'll call and update my departure time.
 
I'm a novice in my IR training, but I set it up on Foreflight before hand, and then file with estimated time as soon as possible after shut down. Go the potty, stretch my legs, and I usually have clearance pretty quick. I do tend to file with the cleared ATC routes option in FF if it suits my purposes. But like I said, I am just an instrument student so I am sure there are better answers out there.
 
File at least 15 minutes before, and call if you are close to 2 hours after. Just a general rule from someone in the biz...
 
flyingron said:
There's no way to put a day in the prosed departure time, so you're limited to 24 hours in advance.

The plan is typically available 30 minutes before the proposed departure time (provided you filed it before then) and up to two hours after, though this is configurable by facility.
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Not true. Through lockmart you can file flight plans up 30 days in advance now.
 
Brad Z said:
Not true. Through lockmart you can file flight plans up 30 days in advance now.
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Interesting, but I don't understand why this is even an option or what advantage it offers since we must still get a briefing shortly before the flight and filing is only another couple of clicks and 15 seconds.

Somebody might have a use for it I guess. Airlines maybe?
 
Brad Z said:
Not true. Through lockmart you can file flight plans up 30 days in advance now.
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The "system" has no concept of date. What LockMart does is hold on to you submission and does not FILE it until within the window.
 
jordane93 said:
Just file for what you computed to be the proposed times. If you're going to be either late or early just make a quick call to FSS and change your proposed time.
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FSS only has flight plans available for changes that were filed through them. They dont have direct access to flight plans filed via DUAT/DUATS/fltplan.com or foreflight (as they go directly from the respective providers to the center or approach facility).

Only after your computer filed plan has been transmitted to the ATC facility (1-2hrs prior to filed departure), they can call the controlling facility and have ATC make changes. It seems that the LM employees are under directions not to do that but their desire to be helpful seems to trump those directions most of the time.
 
flyingron said:
The plan is typically available 30 minutes before the proposed departure time (provided you filed it before then) and up to two hours after, though this is configurable by facility.
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It's configurable by the center, towers and TRACONs have no control over it.
 
timwinters said:
Interesting, but I don't understand why this is even an option or what advantage it offers since we must still get a briefing shortly before the flight and filing is only another couple of clicks and 15 seconds.

Somebody might have a use for it I guess. Airlines maybe?
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See below...

flyingron said:
The "system" has no concept of date. What LockMart does is hold on to you submission and does not FILE it until within the window.
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That's fine, but the OP asked when he could file the plan. He can file it today. I used to file a weeks' worth of flight plans at once when I had a job flying up here. Since we have to file on the phone with LMAFSS, it was easier just to knock them all out at once on one call.
 
I've not done too many trips requiring a fuel stop since I've gotten rated, but the one last year I recall, I did wait until the fuel stop to file because of wx uncertainties. That was at KOXI, I filed via ForeFlight, and it took so long to go through that once I had to retry because it was now too close to departure time. That's when I learned that it was fine to file a proposed departure time that was to be 30 minutes in the future at the time I would actually be picking up the clearance.

On trips to Kelleys Island, before I was rated I typically filed the return leg IFR + "VFR" in the altitude box before leaving home because cell reception is spotty at and near 89D, and I have no interest in circling the island and maybe accidentally straying across the Canadian border while trying to raise FSS (not even sure if it's possible anymore to raise them at all from that area).

Summary: my preference is probably to file at the fuel stop unless cell reception is likely to be an issue.
 
teejayevans said:
How far ahead of my proposed departure time can I file a flight plan? How accurate does the proposed departure time need to be?
I plan on a 2 hop trip with stop for fuel and want to file the second leg before starting.
Click to expand...

Guess what? The facility you are talking to on arrival at your pee break will also be the facility you'll be talking to on departure from your pee break. Go ahead and file them both at the same time.

ATC: I see you have a 1 hour turnaround time at KABC, is that still going to be the case?

You: Should be.

ATC: OK, talk to you in an hour.

No need to refile. Plus here's what filing both ahead of time allows for:

There I was...

So I was flying into Maryland, somewhere near Cumberland. Forecast when I departed Michigan was BKN040. Everything said BKN040. I'm cleared for the GPS (that's all they had there) approach, and AWOS is reporting OVC001. GPS only gets me down to 400 or 600. I take a look, and there's nothing but gray.

I go missed, call up ATC, "I'm missed at XYZ, I'd like to open up my flight plan from XYZ to Wings"

Do you really want to be in the soup, going missed, trying to refile your flight plan for your second leg, or would you rather say I'm missed, I'd like to open my second flight plan? Let me guess, you'd rather be in the soup talking to FSS.
 
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I file subsequent legs separately. But I'm usually stopping longer than an hour anyway and I don't like to be bound by prefiled departure time.
 
Sac Arrow said:
I file subsequent legs separately. But I'm usually stopping longer than an hour anyway and I don't like to be bound by prefiled departure time.
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I've had ATC push back my departure time on my second leg. I don't know if they changed it in the computer, or just made a note of it in the facility. There's no disadvantage to filing at the same time. There is however some not to.
 
I see several have said you can file 30 mins before, is that a guideline, or is that a rule that given 30 mins you'll be in the system? If it matters, I'll be doing this (for the first time using Pilot/Duats) electronically instead WXBRIEF
 
teejayevans said:
I see several have said you can file 30 mins before, is that a guideline, or is that a rule that given 30 mins you'll be in the system? If it matters, I'll be doing this (for the first time using Pilot/Duats) electronically instead WXBRIEF
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You can OPEN it 30 minutes before. You can FILE it 23hrs59 minutes before.
 
whats the hurry to file anyways? it only takes about 3 minutes doing online from an iphone. just make sure you file at least 30 minutes from proposed departure. if you go over the 2 hr window just take 3 minutes and file again. people tend to overthink menial stuff.
 
If it is just a quick-turn fuel stop, you can file a 'through' flight plan. I would have to look it up, but iirc you add the stopover airport in your flightplan and add /D+020 (for a 20min delay).

The courier companies do that, they just remain on the same clearance and go from little airport to little airport to pick up 'bags' and packages. I believe it locks up the approaches for that airport for the time they are on the ground, so if ATC has others inbound, you may not get your through clearance. If it is 11pm and you are stopping at 'Gwinner, ND', your odds of getting a through clearance are higher than at a busier field or during the day.
 
teejayevans said:
I see several have said you can file 30 mins before, is that a guideline, or is that a rule that given 30 mins you'll be in the system? If it matters, I'll be doing this (for the first time using Pilot/Duats) electronically instead WXBRIEF
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30 minutes is just a guideline to give ATC a heads up of your intentions. I've operated at places in the military where they wanted 45 minutes. As Mark said above, 15 minutes prior will work for him.

30 minutes prior to ETD your flight progress strip prints up and you go in the departure list on the scope. As some have said, you can get your clearance within that window. Actually, you can call before that time if you want but ATC won't have your strip yet. In that case all the controller has to do a flight plan readout (FR) on your callsign and update your departure to the current time. The computer will immediately spit out a strip on you. Just expect a little more delay if you call greater than 30 minutes prior to ETD.
 
cirrusmx said:
whats the hurry to file anyways? it only takes about 3 minutes doing online from an iphone. just make sure you file at least 30 minutes from proposed departure. if you go over the 2 hr window just take 3 minutes and file again. people tend to overthink menial stuff.
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I've written previously here about trying to file in the air with center, then being referred to FSS, quickly entered new flight plan into ForeFlight and filed in the air....called center back 30 seconds later and she had my flight plan...."cleared as filed."
 
EdFred said:
You can OPEN it 30 minutes before. You can FILE it 23hrs59 minutes before.
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It prints 30 minutes before the proposed time. It's available to the controller moments after it's filed.
 
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