Narrative:

Aircraft X (FA20) was cleared for approach into fve and advised to cancel IFR with FSS. Sometime later FSS called for departure clearance and it was issued to them. Sometime after that aircraft X departed from fve VFR requesting IFR clearance. Pilot advised that he called FSS (in central us) to cancel and request clearance. After being on hold for 13 mins he hung up and departed VFR. FSS never called us back to advise that they never delivered clearance; plus; the delay in getting in touch with FSS is unacceptable. This is the common occurrence -- the users are requesting (as did aircraft X) a direct phone line to the radar room so that they can obtain/cancel clrncs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZBW CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING FSS FAILURES TO ANSWER FLT CREW PHONE CONTACTS FOR FLT PLAN UPDATES AND IFR CLRNCS.

Narrative: ACFT X (FA20) WAS CLRED FOR APCH INTO FVE AND ADVISED TO CANCEL IFR WITH FSS. SOMETIME LATER FSS CALLED FOR DEP CLRNC AND IT WAS ISSUED TO THEM. SOMETIME AFTER THAT ACFT X DEPARTED FROM FVE VFR REQUESTING IFR CLRNC. PLT ADVISED THAT HE CALLED FSS (IN CENTRAL US) TO CANCEL AND REQUEST CLRNC. AFTER BEING ON HOLD FOR 13 MINS HE HUNG UP AND DEPARTED VFR. FSS NEVER CALLED US BACK TO ADVISE THAT THEY NEVER DELIVERED CLRNC; PLUS; THE DELAY IN GETTING IN TOUCH WITH FSS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS THE COMMON OCCURRENCE -- THE USERS ARE REQUESTING (AS DID ACFT X) A DIRECT PHONE LINE TO THE RADAR ROOM SO THAT THEY CAN OBTAIN/CANCEL CLRNCS.

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.