Narrative:

I was preparing to fly to ZZZ from jefferson city; mo; on an IFR flight plan. I contacted the jefferson city control tower to pickup my IFR clearance; prior to taxi and was told there was no flight plan on file. I had filed the flight plan online on the previous day. I told jef tower; that I would contact the columbia FSS through the jef rco and file a flight plan with them. I spoke to a columbia FSS specialist and he took the necessary information and told me the flight plan would be on file momentarily. I then called the jef tower and requested the IFR clearance. The flight plan was still not available. After several mins and still no clearance; the jef tower controller suggested that I take off VFR and pickup my clearance with mizzou approach (springfield; mo) once I was airborne. I contacted mizzou approach and they did not have the clearance that I had filed with columbia FSS; either. Ultimately; mizzou approach assisted me by taking the information for the IFR flight plan over the radio and then issued an IFR clearance to me. In over 30 yrs of flying; I have never had this much difficulty in getting my IFR clearance. If contractor is doing a good job in taking over the FSS duties and responsibilities; it sure is not readily apparent to this pilot. I'd rather have the 'old' FSS personnel and system in place; if this is any indication of the type of service or lack thereof that we will have in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT HAD FILED IFR FLT PLAN ONLINE; BUT WHEN CALLING FOR CLRNC WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT ON FILE. PLT THEN FILED WITH FLT SERVICE; AND AGAIN WAS INFORMED IT WAS NOT ON FILE. IFR FLT PLAN WAS SUCCESSFULLY FILED AFTER AIRBORNE WITH APCH CTL.

Narrative: I WAS PREPARING TO FLY TO ZZZ FROM JEFFERSON CITY; MO; ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. I CONTACTED THE JEFFERSON CITY CTL TWR TO PICKUP MY IFR CLRNC; PRIOR TO TAXI AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO FLT PLAN ON FILE. I HAD FILED THE FLT PLAN ONLINE ON THE PREVIOUS DAY. I TOLD JEF TWR; THAT I WOULD CONTACT THE COLUMBIA FSS THROUGH THE JEF RCO AND FILE A FLT PLAN WITH THEM. I SPOKE TO A COLUMBIA FSS SPECIALIST AND HE TOOK THE NECESSARY INFO AND TOLD ME THE FLT PLAN WOULD BE ON FILE MOMENTARILY. I THEN CALLED THE JEF TWR AND REQUESTED THE IFR CLRNC. THE FLT PLAN WAS STILL NOT AVAILABLE. AFTER SEVERAL MINS AND STILL NO CLRNC; THE JEF TWR CTLR SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE OFF VFR AND PICKUP MY CLRNC WITH MIZZOU APCH (SPRINGFIELD; MO) ONCE I WAS AIRBORNE. I CONTACTED MIZZOU APCH AND THEY DID NOT HAVE THE CLRNC THAT I HAD FILED WITH COLUMBIA FSS; EITHER. ULTIMATELY; MIZZOU APCH ASSISTED ME BY TAKING THE INFO FOR THE IFR FLT PLAN OVER THE RADIO AND THEN ISSUED AN IFR CLRNC TO ME. IN OVER 30 YRS OF FLYING; I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS MUCH DIFFICULTY IN GETTING MY IFR CLRNC. IF CONTRACTOR IS DOING A GOOD JOB IN TAKING OVER THE FSS DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES; IT SURE IS NOT READILY APPARENT TO THIS PLT. I'D RATHER HAVE THE 'OLD' FSS PERSONNEL AND SYS IN PLACE; IF THIS IS ANY INDICATION OF THE TYPE OF SVC OR LACK THEREOF THAT WE WILL HAVE IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.