"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
link.net...

"S Narayan" wrote in message
...

Depends. I forgot to do it once at a remote airport without tower. I
realised about an hour later and called in to close the FP and they told
me
they were trying to find me and had asked other pilots about my
aircraft.
Fortunately a full scale search had not developed. Glad I called in and
checked with the FSS. Felt like an ass. So, it could be an inconvenience
to ATC and other pilots, so don't take this lightly.


He's talking about a VFR flight plan. There's no connection between
control
towers and VFR flight plans, ATC wouldn't even know if you had filed a VFR
flight plan or not.

I know, ATC gets involved when FSS requests ATC to find the missing pilot.
The field may be completed unattended as in my case (Trinity Center, CA) and
FSS has no way to find out if the pilot made it safely. ATC then contacts
other pilots who are flying in to to the same airport after that missing
pilot (or divert other pilot(s), if willing, to check at that airport). It
is one of few times when filing a FP is a boon and a curse.