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.

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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.