IFR planning procedures in US vs Canada

[Steelstring]

11 hours ago, jlunseth said:

That's good to hear.  Three or four years ago I tried filing through fltplan.com .  It took a minimum of 24 hours.  I would get to the line and there would be no flight plan.  I typically don't file until just before the flight because I want to know the most current weather conditions.  Might be a reason to route around something, or pick an altitude that is above the clouds tops which you won't really know until just before take-off.  I will try foreflight.

I filed last night using Fltplan.com and had the same experience as gsxrpilot.  Clearance was ready five minutes later when I called ground. Things are pretty well connected now. 

[Marauder]

I remember the first time I called FSS for a clearance release on a cell phone. They were very confused. They were used to giving void times in excess of 20 minutes. I kept explaining to them I was on a cellular telephone in the airplane.
 
-Robert

Those were the days. Preflight the plane, drive 6 miles to a pay phone, make the call, get the void time, drive the 6 miles back, park the car and hope to make the 25 minute void time.


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[jlunseth]

4 hours ago, RobertGary1 said:

I remember the first time I called FSS for a clearance release on a cell phone. They were very confused. They were used to giving void times in excess of 20 minutes. I kept explaining to them I was on a cellular telephone in the airplane.

 

-Robert

Even nicer when you have a noise cancelling headset that makes a bluetooth connection to your cell.  The connection is dead quiet except for the speech, at least as good as being on the radio.

[midlifeflyer]

13 hours ago, RobertGary1 said:

I remember the first time I called FSS for a clearance release on a cell phone. They were very confused. They were used to giving void times in excess of 20 minutes. I kept explaining to them I was on a cellular telephone in the airplane.

 

-Robert

I can imagine! I was part of the pay phone and run to the airplane (in the rain) crowd when I got my instrument rating.

[midlifeflyer]

13 hours ago, jaylw314 said:

That's why I didn't want to get too complicated.  It was a stressful day in my IFR training when on my long cross country, my instructor gleefully stated, "so today, we're going to make sure you pick up your clearances in as many ways as possible."    Although I admit, he didn't make me try calling ATC on the phone.

 

CFIIs can be gleefully mean.

Calling ATC on the phone has become my preferred method for nontowered fields when conditions don’t allow for opening in the air, compared with calling FSS or using a click-click-drop-the-call RCO. I’ve been getting into the habit of asking the last approach controller at my destination if they have a number I can use.

(yes, my headset connects to my phone)