How long will ATC keep the flight plan in their system?

How long will ATC keep the flight plan in their system?

• A. 24 hours.
• B. 2 hours.
• C. 4 hours.
• D. 8 hours.

Answer: (B)

Air Traffic Control stores a filed flight plan for a short period to keep airspace coordination efficient and to clear out plans that never become active. The standard retention window is two hours from the proposed departure time. If the aircraft hasn’t departed or the plan hasn’t been canceled within that window, ATC automatically closes it. Once a flight is airborne, the plan remains active and can be amended or canceled as needed, but the two‑hour limit is the default for plans that don’t materialize. That’s why two hours is the correct retention time.

Air Traffic Control stores a filed flight plan for a short period to keep airspace coordination efficient and to clear out plans that never become active. The standard retention window is two hours from the proposed departure time. If the aircraft hasn’t departed or the plan hasn’t been canceled within that window, ATC automatically closes it. Once a flight is airborne, the plan remains active and can be amended or canceled as needed, but the two‑hour limit is the default for plans that don’t materialize. That’s why two hours is the correct retention time.