COMMERCIAL PLT OF AN SMA SEL DEPARTS A HIGH CAPACITY ARPT ON AN IFR FLT PLAN WITHOUT CONFIRMATION OF A 'RESERVATION.'

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I FLY IN AND OUT OF DCA FREQUENTLY; HOWEVER; LAST MONDAY I NEEDED TO FLY THERE ON SHORT NOTICE. I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM BINGHAMTON TO WASHINGTON. UPON REACHING VFR CONDITIONS I ATTEMPTED TO CANCEL IFR AND PROCEED VFR TO THE ARPT. ATC SUGGESTED THIS WAS NOT NECESSARY AND TO CONTINUE ON THE IFR FLT PLAN FOR A VISUAL APCH. AFTER 30 MINS ON THE GND I CALLED CLRNC FOR MY IFR BACK TO BINGHAMTON. AFTER TKOF; I REALIZED THAT DUE TO MY SHORT NOTICE DEP; I HAD NEVER CALLED FOR A RESERVATION. I INTENDED TO DEPART DCA VFR AND PICK UP IFR IN THE AIR; BUT NEVER DID. I DO BELIEVE THERE IS AN EASY SOLUTION; HOWEVER; IF THE RESERVATION SYS IS SO IMPORTANT AT THESE HIGH CAPACITY ARPTS; MANDATE THE RECORDING OF THE RESERVATION NUMBER IN THE REMARKS SECTION OF THE IFR FLT PLAN. THIS WILL PROVIDE A CHKS AND BAL SYS FOR THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE. FSS WILL NOT FILE AN IFR PLAN TO OR FROM THE HIGH CAPACITY ARPTS WITHOUT KNOWING IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED A RESERVATION AND IT WILL REMIND THE PLT; AT THAT POINT; THE IMPORTANCE OF A RESERVATION; PARTICULARLY TO THOSE PLTS THAT DO NOT FLY IN AND OUT OF THESE ARPTS REGULARLY.