Small aircraft pilot overflying canadian airspace without filing flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	247998
Time
Date	199307
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : czyz
State Reference	ON
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 11500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : czyz tower : ord
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 360 flight time type : 320
ASRS Report	247998
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Took off from romeo, mi, and spoke with selfridge approach then eastern michigan and into canada. I thought I needed a flight plan if landing. Didn't realize I needed one for overflt only. Actually, the concern came to mind half way through canadian airspace. It would help if this information was on VFR sectional and if information about ATC control above 12500 ft MSL was bolder. Also, it would maybe be nice to readily know what is canadian fir? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he learned of the need for a flight plan from a FSDO seminar he attended. He then ordered a book on canadian regulations so he could familiarize himself with all information. He was in contact with approach until out of radar coverage then continued to destination. No requirement to be in contact if flight plan had been filed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT OVERFLYING CANADIAN AIRSPACE WITHOUT FILING FLT PLAN.

Narrative: TOOK OFF FROM ROMEO, MI, AND SPOKE WITH SELFRIDGE APCH THEN EASTERN MICHIGAN AND INTO CANADA. I THOUGHT I NEEDED A FLT PLAN IF LNDG. DIDN'T REALIZE I NEEDED ONE FOR OVERFLT ONLY. ACTUALLY, THE CONCERN CAME TO MIND HALF WAY THROUGH CANADIAN AIRSPACE. IT WOULD HELP IF THIS INFO WAS ON VFR SECTIONAL AND IF INFO ABOUT ATC CTL ABOVE 12500 FT MSL WAS BOLDER. ALSO, IT WOULD MAYBE BE NICE TO READILY KNOW WHAT IS CANADIAN FIR? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE LEARNED OF THE NEED FOR A FLT PLAN FROM A FSDO SEMINAR HE ATTENDED. HE THEN ORDERED A BOOK ON CANADIAN REGS SO HE COULD FAMILIARIZE HIMSELF WITH ALL INFO. HE WAS IN CONTACT WITH APCH UNTIL OUT OF RADAR COVERAGE THEN CONTINUED TO DEST. NO REQUIREMENT TO BE IN CONTACT IF FLT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.