Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 10; Flight Crew Total 140; Flight Crew Type 140
Training / Qualification; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Procedure
I had filed a VFR flight plan electronically prior to engine start. Upon initial contact with MIC Ground Control; I requested VFR separation services and was given a squawk code and Departure frequency.When I received my takeoff clearance; I requested that the Tower activate my VFR flight plan (in accordance with AIM 5-1-4(f). I prefer to activate this way since during departure there's little time available to contact Flight Service to activate my flight plan. The Tower informed me that my flight plan would automatically be activated upon contacting Departure. This seemed unusual to me and differed from past experience but I acquiesced. When directed by Tower I switched to Departure and continued my flight. When I was approximately twenty miles from my destination and prior to descent Minneapolis Center terminated radar services.Upon arrival at my destination after shutdown I called Flight Service to close my flight plan. At that time I was informed that my flight plan had never been activated. Had something happened to me during the final twenty miles of my flight no search and rescue would have been initiated due to the controller's error. I later discussed the issue with a Tower Supervisor at MIC who verified my story with the tapes and confirmed that the Controller had made an error. The Supervisor indicated that many of the controllers were young and inexperienced. I learned from this that a healthy skepticism is required in aviation to insure personal safety.
A PA-28 pilot was surprised to learn that his VFR Flight Plan had never been activated as he had been advised it would be by the Tower right after takeoff. He was later advised by a Tower Supervisor that many of the Local Controllers were young and inexperienced.