ATC may not have a flight plan on file immediately after filing due to timing rules regarding when plans are transmitted to the appropriate ATC facility. Below is an overview of when flight plans filed through ForeFlight are sent to ATC based on location and flight type.
United States & Canada
- ICAO Flight Plans (VFR or IFR):
- Sent immediately if the filed departure time (ETD) is within 22 hours.
- Held on ForeFlight servers if ETD is more than 22 hours away, then sent to ATC 22 hours prior to ETD.
- FAA Domestic IFR Flight Plans:
- Released to ATC 22 hours prior to departure.
Europe
- ICAO Flight Plans (VFR, IFR, YFR, ZFR):
- For flights into Europe from outside Europe,
- Sent immediately if the filed departure time (ETD) is within 22 hours.
- Held on ForeFlight servers if ETD is more than 22 hours away, then sent to ATC 22 hours prior to ETD.
- For IFR flights between points within Europe, the plan is sent to ATC 120 hours prior to ETD.
- VFR flight plans in Austria are held by Austrocontrol until 5 hours prior to ETD.
- For flights into Europe from outside Europe,
Summary Table
The following table illustrates when flight plans are sent to the appropriate ATC facility.
| Flight Plan Type | Hours Prior to ETD Flight Plan is Sent to ATC Facility | ||||
|
ETD +3 Hours |
ETD +5 Hours |
ETD +22 Hours |
ETD +120 Hours |
||
|
FAA Domestic Flight Plan (USA) |
IFR |
✓ | |||
|
DVFR |
✓ | ||||
|
ICAO Flight Plan |
VFR |
✓ | ✓ | ||
|
IFR |
✓ | ✓ | |||
|
ZFR |
✓ | ||||
|
YFR |
✓ | ||||
Key Notes:
- Ensure the departure time is correct when filing.
- For immediate concerns, confirm the status of the flight plan in ForeFlight and contact ATC if needed.
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