Newps wrote:


Matthew S. Whiting wrote:

Does the ATC controller then intiate SAR if the pilot hasn't called in
within 30 minutes or so?


You are never out of contact with ATC, how could this be a factor.

There are lots of airports here in northern PA where you can't talk to
the controller on the ground after landing.


I'm real nervous now if you are telling me

that it is up to the last controller to initiate SAR if a flight plan
isn't closed by the pilot.


You are flying to East Podunk towered airport, talking to the center.
You call the airport in sight and the center controller clears you for
the visual or you are given a regular approach. At about 10 miles out
the center tells you to cantact the tower. The tower already knows you
are coming. Now, what is there to worry about?

The two airports I landed at most frequently after IFR flights are N38
and 7N1. Neither have control towers, nor even a human around much of
the time.


I always assumed some computer somewhere

kept track of open flight plans and automatically kicked something out
if one was still open at some time past the ETA.


Not for IFR, just VFR.

Interesting that a VFR flight plan is more automated than an IFR flight
plan.


Seems nuts to be that something as critical as SAR initiation for an
overdue airplane wouldn't be automated when it is so easy to do so.
These are the things computers do best.


ATC is talking to you at all times. That is much better than a computer
keeping track of you.

Not always, see above. If you are flying into a towered airport, this
is true. Not all IFR flights end at towered airports. I typically
cancelled in the air when flying into N38 or 7N1, however, if the
weather was marginal or if the runway condition was unknown (winter), I
didn't want to cancel until I was on the ground. This required a phone
call. You are saying that if I didn't make this phone call and the last
controller I talked with forgot about me, I could be laying in a ditch
in the snow for hours???


Matt