Why would you want to postpone the initiation of SAR processes for 5:00 + 1:00 (SOP) when most events that make you "late" happen within just a few miles of the departure or destination airports? If you file a 5 hour stopover flight plan, it will be at least 6 hours before anyone starts seriously looking for you - and you may be down within the first 20 minutes or so. If you filed two flight plans, you might cut your waiting time in half, so why not file two flight plans? It's not like we're paying by the plan (yet).

I've heard the excuse that the stopover will be at a self-service fuel site and they pilot didn't want to have to close and reopen. That is a silly excuse because you may not even have the advantage of someone verifying that you actually made your first point of intended landing. Then SAR forces have to look at the entire route rather than just the first segment.

I'm not real sure I can find a solid reason (not an excuse) to file stopover flight plans personally, but then I realize this is a personal preference.

--
Jim Carter
Rogers, Arkansas
"Danny Deger" wrote in message ...

...
Total time in the air is 4:30 with a 30 minute stop for fuel. ETE to final
destination is 5 hours.

Danny Deger