Definition
The procedure of filing both an IFR flight plan and a VFR flight plan for the same flight, so the pilot can choose which set of rules to operate under depending on conditions encountered en route or at the destination.
Plain English
Filing two flight plans for the same trip — one for instrument flying and one for visual flying — so you can switch to whichever one fits the weather and situation on the day.
Context Anchor
Seen in flight planning, flight service, dispatch, and air traffic coordination discussions.
Derivation
‘Cross’ here means ‘across’ or ‘in two directions,’ and ‘filing’ refers to submitting a flight plan to ATC. Together it describes filing across both systems — IFR and VFR — for the same flight.
Why Pilots Care
Cross-filing gives a pilot operational flexibility. If weather deteriorates, the pilot can activate the IFR plan; if conditions are clear, the VFR plan keeps things simpler. It saves time on the ground and reduces the need to re-file in the air.
Intuition Check
Cross-filing does not mean flying across a course or filing two unrelated plans. It means the same flight plan is shared across facilities or systems.
Example Sentence 1
The pilot used cross-filing because the forecast was marginal — clear in the morning but possibly IFR by arrival.
Example Sentence 2
After cross-filing the surface showed even contact marks with no high spots remaining.