Closing Your Flight Plan
If your destination aerodrome does not have an ATS facility (i.e., it is unattended), you must close your flight plan through another means. You can:
- Call the flight service center by telephone. The telephone number for flight service is published in the AIP Call the facility that accepted your flight plan and inform them that you have landed.
- Request an aerodrome with ATS to close your flight plan on your behalf. If you land at an unattended aerodrome but are within range of another aerodrome with ATS, you can contact that facility by radio and ask them to close your flight plan for you.
- File a closing message by internet or email. Many countries now accept flight plan closing messages through electronic systems.
The critical point is: close your flight plan as soon as reasonably possible after landing. Do not forget it. If you fail to close your flight plan, you create a situation where air traffic services believe you are overdue, and search and rescue operations may be initiated.
Closing a Flight Plan
Prague Tower · OE-CMV
PILOT: Prague Tower, OE-CMV, on the ground, runway two-four, request to close flight plan.
TOWER: OE-CMV, ROGER. Flight plan closed. Welcome to Prague.
PILOT: Thank you, OE-CMV.
Or, if landing at an unattended aerodrome:
Radar data-aircraft="OE-CMV">
Closing Flight Plan from Unattended Aerodrome
Brno Radar · OE-CMV
PILOT: Brno Radar, OE-CMV, landed Budweis at zero-nine-fifteen. Request to close flight plan filed this morning with Linz.
BRNO: OE-CMV, copy, you are landed Budweis. I will advise Linz to close your flight plan. Safe parking.
PILOT: Thank you, OE-CMV.
