SR22
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Procedure
As Aircraft X approached my boundary I saw he was VFR at 9;500 FT in field 8. Then I read the remarks said; 'VFR IN TOP.' No; that is not a typo; it used the word 'IN.' I asked the adjacent Approach if Aircraft X was VFR or IFR. They said; 'We show VFR; why?' After the pilot was on my frequency I asked his flight plan; VFR or IFR in VFR ON TOP conditions? He said IFR. We changed field 8 to read OTP/95; and I re-issued maintain VFR on top clearance. Recommendation; I realize we do not use this tool very often; maybe it could be reviewed.
TRACON Controller described an IFR vs. VFR vs. VFR-ON-TOP flight plan confusion event; noting more training is necessary for some controllers regarding this issue.