1-800-WxBrief Question

[Bman.]

Hey all-

Silly question but one I honestly don't know the answer to and wondering what those pilots do who don't use other devices or services for filing flight plans and getting weather briefs. I have literally called FSS once during my PPL training to file a flight plan. All other flights since PPL have been filing flight plans online or apps such Foreflight, 1800Wx.com, FltPlan etc. I file the flight plan, look at the brief, study all available information and activate prior to run-up and moving the plane. It seems to have worked out well but here are my questions.

I am no weather expert but a weather nerd indeed. However, I have been watching a lot of different aviation weather videos for my IFR training. I am trying to drill down weather, weather systems and the items one can look for between the pages of briefing data that may point to something that could be note worthy to your flight. What I have noticed is that some of the briefers on 1800Wx do a good job really getting a full picture of what is happening and what could be coming down the pike.

1) Do many people still call 1800Wxbrief to get a different picture on the Wx than your typical self-brief from foreflight or fltplan?

2) When you call 1800Wx are you filing your flight plan and then requesting a standard briefing? Can you get a briefing without filing a plan?

3) If I file my flight plan via ForeFlight, will 1800Wx have this on file nearly immediately and then I can request a briefing of choice and follow along with the data I see on my iPad?

In general, I feel like maybe I am missing a service... but then again, maybe I am not and my interpretation of what I self-brief from a multitude of sources is sufficient.

Benjamin

 

[brian]]

Depends. If I'm just flying "local" then I'm not as likely to call. But when flying 400 mikes (or so) then I definitely will call. Foreflight give a good picture but sometimes the briefer offers something I didn't know about where I'm headed.

And once I hear "no TFR", I write it on my notepad and circle it.

 

[Bman.]

That's where I am going with this. I am reaching out for 400nm this weekend and think I need more reinforcement than my scrounging around the file / brief pages of Foreflight.

So, can I call them up and just request a brief from x to y or do I run through the whole flight plan as if I were going to file a flight plan? EDIT : It seems every video I have watched of someone getting a weather brief they provide all of the front information that one would provide when filing a plan. That doesn't mean the flight plan is filed unless you tell them you want to file a flight plan - then get the brief, right?

It's weird I don't know this. Where is my ipad! ha.

 

[oilburner]

I rarely file VFR flight plans, but always call 1-800-WXBRIEF to get a weather briefing for my longer cross country flights. Doesn't take a lot of time to get as complete a picture as possible. The hot MOAs are good to know, too.

 

[mondtster]

So, can I call them up and just request a brief from x to y or do I run through the whole flight plan as if I were going to file a flight plan? EDIT : It seems every video I have watched of someone getting a weather brief they provide all of the front information that one would provide when filing a plan. That doesn't mean the flight plan is filed unless you tell them you want to file a flight plan - then get the brief, right?

What you need to ask for is a standard weather briefing. The weather briefing is totally separate from filing a flight plan, although some of the information overlaps.

 

[mondtster]

Depends. If I'm just flying "local" then I'm not as likely to call. But when flying 400 mikes (or so) then I definitely will call. Foreflight give a good picture but sometimes the briefer offers something I didn't know about where I'm headed.

Have you called lately? It seems like all they are doing these days is reading you the same weather briefing that you can get online at 1800wxbrief.com or what you'll get through the "file and brief" briefing you can get in Foreflight.

Sometimes the only option is to call though, which is about the only time I do it these days.

 

[Vance Breese]

If we are going to fly more than ten miles from our base I have my clients get Standard VFR weather briefing. I have a form they fill out and it makes it easy to see if they have missed anything.

We are on the coast of California and fire TFRs pop up often.

Sometimes we get a great briefer with local knowledge, other times the briefing is not so good and I supplement it with Weathermeister for the satellite pictures and a better sense of winds aloft.

I watched a pilot bust into the Cable Air Show TFR from Brackett just five miles to the west and he decided because he was only going to Cable to get gas a weather briefing was not necessary. That is not a mistake I want my clients to make.

I have watched people getting a computer briefing and not take the time to read through the NOTAMS and TFRs.

I have found it takes very little time to read the flight plan information to the briefer to file a flight plan.

I also use them for giving PIREPS.

 

[NoHeat]

If we are going to fly more than ten miles from our base I have my clients get Standard VFR weather briefing.
...
I watched a pilot bust into the Cable Air Show TFR from Brackett just five miles to the west and he decided because he was only going to Cable to get gas a weather briefing was not necessary.

A standard briefing is overkill for a 10 mile flight, isn't it?

I would ask for an abbreviated briefing with only adverse conditions, TFRs, and notams.

 

[Vance Breese]

A standard briefing is overkill for a 10 mile flight, isn't it?

I would ask for an abbreviated briefing with only adverse conditions, TFRs, and notams.

An abbreviated briefing suggests I already know the big picture and am just looking for an update.

In my opinion a standard VFR briefing is appropriate for any flight more than ten nautical miles.

If I am headed out to our practice area I may be there doing ground reference maneuvers for an hour.

I want to know what is developing.

The client lets the briefer know our direction of flight and altitude.

The client makes the decision to fly or not based on the briefing.

I am trying to instill good habits in my clients.

 

[Ravioli]

I usually don't file flight plans. I usually do request Flight Following.

And for segments over 2 hours I ALWAYS call for a Standard Briefing.

My theory is that things are always changing and they are watching it change. I don't look at tablet apps 8 hours a day to see what's trending, and I don't think the briefer was playing candy crush before I called, I think they've been watching the weather and seeing trends.

 

[Stewartb]

If you ask for a standard briefing the briefer usually asks if you'd like to file a flight plan when he's finished. You can decline. At that point they usually ask you to provide pireps along the route, and that right there is the best reason to call a briefer. Pireps are good information.

 

[brian]]

Have you called lately? It seems like all they are doing these days is reading you the same weather briefing that you can get online at 1800wxbrief.com or what you'll get through the "file and brief" briefing you can get in Foreflight.

Sometimes the only option is to call though, which is about the only time I do it these days.

Mostly true (just reading what you have in foreflight/whatever). But they seem to have better access to notams and moaand other military area activities. (We have a restricted area over by KORK and it is nice to know if it is "hot" if headed that way.

Being on record with "no TFR" being said is supposed to be a good thing if a pop up TFR happens.

 

[neilw2]

It's part of my flying routine to give WX-BRIEF a call when I'm driving to the airport. I find the briefers often times give me a better picture of overall wx than I can w/ an online briefing and I feel better having someone double check my work.

Also, I always like them to check NOTAMS/TFRs again to make sure I didn't miss an important one or that something new hasn't cropped up.

 

[Clip4]

Hey all-

Silly question but one I honestly don't know the answer to and wondering what those pilots do who don't use other devices or services for filing flight plans and getting weather briefs. I have literally called FSS once during my PPL training to file a flight plan. All other flights since PPL have been filing flight plans online or apps such Foreflight, 1800Wx.com, FltPlan etc. I file the flight plan, look at the brief, study all available information and activate prior to run-up and moving the plane. It seems to have worked out well but here are my questions.

I am no weather expert but a weather nerd indeed. However, I have been watching a lot of different aviation weather videos for my IFR training. I am trying to drill down weather, weather systems and the items one can look for between the pages of briefing data that may point to something that could be note worthy to your flight. What I have noticed is that some of the briefers on 1800Wx do a good job really getting a full picture of what is happening and what could be coming down the pike.

1) Do many people still call 1800Wxbrief to get a different picture on the Wx than your typical self-brief from foreflight or fltplan?

2) When you call 1800Wx are you filing your flight plan and then requesting a standard briefing? Can you get a briefing without filing a plan?

3) If I file my flight plan via ForeFlight, will 1800Wx have this on file nearly immediately and then I can request a briefing of choice and follow along with the data I see on my iPad?

In general, I feel like maybe I am missing a service... but then again, maybe I am not and my interpretation of what I self-brief from a multitude of sources is sufficient.

Benjamin

Q1. There are still a lot of pilots who call a Briefer rather than using an online briefing. The biggest reason is pilots do not feel confident with their skills with an online briefing, especially TFRs. All a briefer does is summarize the the data you have during an online brief. If you use the WX charts along with the textual products, you will get a better understanding on your online briefing. The goal of the FAA is to encourage pilots to use the online service because an online briefing costs about less than $1 and an hone briefiing cost them about $20. WX Brief has and continues to make improvements so the pilot has confidence using the online product.

Q2. Yes, why would you file a flight plan for a flight you decided not to take because of WX? You can get a standard, outlook, or abbreviated briefing briefing without filing a flight plan.

Q3. Flight service will have access to your flight plan, but I have not heard of someone asking them to pull up a filed flight plan to use for a briefing.

A couple of notes:

Using an online briefing with a phone brief is a good way to learn and gain confidence using an online brief. The great thing about a online brief is you can take the data with you on the flight. This is especially nice for the Notams on XCs.

If one uses the WX Brief product, the first information on the screen after completing the flight plan is a Presentation of TFRs along you route. Your briefings are recallable in your account history should you bust a TFR that you did not receive.

 

[Clip4]

An abbreviated briefing suggests I already know the big picture and am just looking for an update.

In my opinion a standard VFR briefing is appropriate for any flight more than ten nautical miles.

If I am headed out to our practice area I may be there doing ground reference maneuvers for an hour.

I want to know what is developing.

The client lets the briefer know our direction of flight and altitude.

The client makes the decision to fly or not based on the briefing.

I am trying to instill good habits in my clients.

AC 00-45G

1. 1.3.1.2 Abbreviated Briefing
   
   An abbreviated briefing is a shortened version of the standard briefing. It should be requested when a departure has been delayed or when specific weather information is needed to update a previous standard briefing. When this is the case, the weather specialist needs to know the time and source of the previous briefing so the necessary weather information will not be omitted inadvertently.
   

 

[George Mohr]

One really good tip for self briefing that some may not know: the ForeFlight weather page for any airport has a "discussion" section. Use that, it is full of really good interpretive information. It's like a written conversation with the local weather guru. Pick a few airports along your route to review.

 

[denverpilot]

1) Do many people still call 1800Wxbrief to get a different picture on the Wx than your typical self-brief from foreflight or fltplan?

No. But they probably should. No harm in doing so.

2) When you call 1800Wx are you filing your flight plan and then requesting a standard briefing? Can you get a briefing without filing a plan?

You can request either or both or an abbreviated briefing. Default is full briefing unless you state otherwise.

3) If I file my flight plan via ForeFlight, will 1800Wx have this on file nearly immediately and then I can request a briefing of choice and follow along with the data I see on my iPad?

Honestly not sure on this one but I believe it's slightly delayed but eventually there. You can say you have already filed, and you'd like an additional look at the weather and an abbreviated briefing. Or full. If they can't find it, they'll just need your route.

In general, I feel like maybe I am missing a service... but then again, maybe I am not and my interpretation of what I self-brief from a multitude of sources is sufficient.

Often it is these days. It used to be a lot harder to get weather info. But in theory you're reaching a weather pro when you call, so if you're looking to hear a different opinion, might as well. It's free. For now anyway.

 

[steingar]

I ALWAYS get a briefing strictly to adhere to the legal requirement. Previously I have done it by phone, as internet in my hangar is a relatively novel phenomenon. I am now working on internet applications to achieve the same result.

 

[danhagan]

1) Do many people still call 1800Wxbrief to get a different picture on the Wx than your typical self-brief from foreflight or fltplan?

I call in and confirm with WXBrief if there are any weather questions whatsoever. If no weather questions, an abbreviated prior to take off for any pop up TFRs.

2) When you call 1800Wx are you filing your flight plan and then requesting a standard briefing? Can you get a briefing without filing a plan?

Yes, you don't have to file.

3) If I file my flight plan via ForeFlight, will 1800Wx have this on file nearly immediately and then I can request a briefing of choice and follow along with the data I see on my iPad?

Not sure. But I do recommend calling in and setting up your mobile phone with them. Then, whenever you call after that, ALL your personal info. auto-fills their screen (N-Number, Type AC, Pilot, Contact).

 

[Rykymus]

I can get a ton more weather info on my own from FF and multiple sources on the internet than your average briefer will give me these days. In most cases, all they're doing is reading the same information that I'm reading elsewhere, and there is no advantage to having it read to me versus reading it myself. Also, since there are so many different sources available, each with their own unique way of presenting the information, I feel like I get a more complete picture through my own research than by a 2-minute speech from a briefer.

I'm sure that some of the briefers actually do a very good job, but I'm not betting my life on that chance.

 

[James331]

Only time I call them is to cancel IFR, or if I'm with a student and introducing them to the "system"

I'm a big FltPlan guy (just make sure you're logged when you check weather so it's logged you checked), I also use ForeFlight mostly, but for flight plans, official weather and ETA and fuel burns fltplan

 

[Hippike]

I am still in training, but I always file a plan online at 1800Wx a day or so before and get a standard briefing the day of and I tell them I have a flight plan on file, they open it up and give me the briefing without me having to give them all the details (departure, altitude, color etc.)

You don't have to file a flight plan in order to get a wx briefing, but you would still need to give the briefer basic info, tail number, altitude, departure/destination, time en route. But don't go into details as to color of aircraft, souls on board, fuel, etc.

 

[brcase]

I ALWAYS get a briefing strictly to adhere to the legal requirement. Previously I have done it by phone, as internet in my hangar is a relatively novel phenomenon. I am now working on internet applications to achieve the same result.

This is biggest problem with most self briefing, with a couple exceptions almost all of them say something like "Always obtain an official briefing", meaning most are not "official briefings". So other than 1-800-Wxbrief (online or call), where can you get an official briefing?

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL

 

[steingar]

It is also possible to do it in Foreflight.

 

[denverpilot]

This is biggest problem with most self briefing, with a couple exceptions almost all of them say something like "Always obtain an official briefing", meaning most are not "official briefings". So other than 1-800-Wxbrief (online or call), where can you get an official briefing?

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL

Various EFB app makers have claimed that they meet the criteria and log you getting one, by tail number, so they say they're good enough to hold up in court.

Technically, nobody's tested that yet. Not that I've seen anyway.

And if you know how to read a Skew-T, sometimes that's going to be better information than almost any other source for certain things, but I know of no official way to show you've looked at those, from FAA. They're not a "standard weather product".

 

[Clip4]

This is biggest problem with most self briefing, with a couple exceptions almost all of them say something like "Always obtain an official briefing", meaning most are not "official briefings". So other than 1-800-Wxbrief (online or call), where can you get an official briefing?

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL

CRSA DUATS

 

[denverpilot]

CRSA DUATS

DUATS is scheduled to be decommissioned this year. They already delayed it to "study" it once.

 

[Harold Rutila]

Hey Bman. Great question. Look up the FAA flight plan form. Fill it out. When you call 1-800-WX-BRIEF, press 1 for briefer, and speak your state (e.g. Texas) when prompted.

When the briefer answers, tell him you'd like a standard weather briefing. He or she will say "go ahead." Start with Box 1 on the flight plan form (e.g. tell the briefer whether you're VFR or IFR) and continue all the way to Box 10.

If you want to file a flight plan, advise the briefer "I'd like to file a flight plan and receive a standard weather briefing." In that case you would continue reading off Boxes 11-16.

The briefer can pull up VFR flight plans filed via any service. If you want to skip speaking your flight plan to the briefer over the phone, you can always file first yourself and then call them for a briefing.

Abbreviated briefings are the a la carte version of weather briefings. You have to specify what products you want included in your discussion with the briefer. Except for a check of adverse conditions, which FSS will always do unless told otherwise, they will not pick which products they want to tell you about.

 

[Clip4]

DUATS is scheduled to be decommissioned this year. They already delayed it to "study" it once.

No doubt, but it is still approved until they do.

 

[coloradobluesky]

One aspect of a phone briefing is you can talk on the phone while driving to the airport and get briefed while you do it.

 

[Bman.]

Thanks all for the responses. I will certainly give them a call just to see how it helps me understand the larger picture. Absolutely nothing lost.

Are the folks at 1-800Wx expecting ICAO format? I know that's been pushed back to later this fall. I can use either but I didn't know if the briefer was looking for ICAO format at this point.

Thanks-
Benjamin

 

[jordane93]

I call occasionally. Most of the time I just take look at aviationweather.gov

 

[Radar Contact]

Foreflight, aviationweather and Skew-T (new development) for me.

 

[denverpilot]

Are the folks at 1-800Wx expecting ICAO format? I know that's been pushed back to later this fall. I can use either but I didn't know if the briefer was looking for ICAO format at this point.

Not yet, but remember unlike our data-driven gadgetry, there's a human on the other end of the phone, so they'll prompt for anything they need, or you can just ask them what they prefer.

It's a little odd nowadays with most of what we do being an interaction with a computer or piece of software that someone actually interacting during the briefing can almost throw you a surprised feeling, just a bit.

You'd be surprised if it's not too busy how easily by being nice to them, you can break them out of their script. Sometimes I ask which call center they're in to get a quick feel for if they're covering a region that has a crap-ton of bad weather or if they're in a region that's not too bad today before attempting any small talk.

Even just remarking that the weather looks nicer where they are at, and your weather may not be so great, is an easy way to break the monotony of their end and make their day a little better.

 

[jspilot]

Hey all-

Silly question but one I honestly don't know the answer to and wondering what those pilots do who don't use other devices or services for filing flight plans and getting weather briefs. I have literally called FSS once during my PPL training to file a flight plan. All other flights since PPL have been filing flight plans online or apps such Foreflight, 1800Wx.com, FltPlan etc. I file the flight plan, look at the brief, study all available information and activate prior to run-up and moving the plane. It seems to have worked out well but here are my questions.

I am no weather expert but a weather nerd indeed. However, I have been watching a lot of different aviation weather videos for my IFR training. I am trying to drill down weather, weather systems and the items one can look for between the pages of briefing data that may point to something that could be note worthy to your flight. What I have noticed is that some of the briefers on 1800Wx do a good job really getting a full picture of what is happening and what could be coming down the pike.

1) Do many people still call 1800Wxbrief to get a different picture on the Wx than your typical self-brief from foreflight or fltplan?

2) When you call 1800Wx are you filing your flight plan and then requesting a standard briefing? Can you get a briefing without filing a plan?

3) If I file my flight plan via ForeFlight, will 1800Wx have this on file nearly immediately and then I can request a briefing of choice and follow along with the data I see on my iPad?

In general, I feel like maybe I am missing a service... but then again, maybe I am not and my interpretation of what I self-brief from a multitude of sources is sufficient.

Benjamin

I learned to always call the weather briefing service and do so before every single XC flight I ever go on even if it is clear and a million! It's part of my routine when flying and it gets my mind in the correct thought pattern. I really also think it gives me a good sense of what to expect from the flight in terms of conditions all around. Plus I trust the briefers on the other end of the line to give me a full picture and that makes me fly with confidence!

A CFI also told me that one of the best advantages to calling rather than self briefing is there is a record of the call in case something goes wrong or you fly into a restricted area that you were not told about during the briefing. ( I trained right before the advent of Foreflight that literally screams at you if you get close to a TFR!) Thankfully I've never needed to defend myself with this but I figure it's another line of defense if that day ever comes.

 

[Clip4]

I learned to always call the weather briefing service and do so before every single XC flight I ever go on even if it is clear and a million! It's part of my routine when flying and it gets my mind in the correct thought pattern. I really also think it gives me a good sense of what to expect from the flight in terms of conditions all around. Plus I trust the briefers on the other end of the line to give me a full picture and that makes me fly with confidence!

A CFI also told me that one of the best advantages to calling rather than self briefing is there is a record of the call in case something goes wrong or you fly into a restricted area that you were not told about during the briefing. ( I trained right before the advent of Foreflight that literally screams at you if you get close to a TFR!) Thankfully I've never needed to defend myself with this but I figure it's another line of defense if that day ever comes.

Actually relying on a telephone brief does not give you a full picture. The briefer will summarize data that he thinks you need. If you will take the time to learn the weather products, a self brief, complete with the various charts, is a more complete briefing. You can print any part of the brief you want to take with you. Not only is there a record of an online brief, you can recall it from your history and review it after your flight. On the flight service web site, the first item you get after completing a flight plan is a map showing your route and TFRs.

 

[jspilot]

Actually relying on a telephone brief does not give you a full picture. The briefer will summarize data that he thinks you need. If you will take the time to learn the weather products, a self brief, complete with the various charts, is a more complete briefing. You can print any part of the brief you want to take with you. Not only is there a record of an online brief, you can recall it from your history and review it after your flight. On the flight service web site, the first item you get after completing a flight plan is a map showing your route and TFRs.

Each telephone briefing also contains every single reporting station along the route of flight and the person on the phone always says if any reporting station is showing any observations of importance. I've also had many phone calls where the briefer tells me about observations and radar returns hundreds of miles away from my route. How exactly is that not a full picture? Plus you get any notams and any important information containing important airspace notifications along the route as well.

I think you may have your ways and that's fine but really their is no way the old fashion way of getting a telephone briefing is not as good if not better than self briefing. Those who rely on self briefing are relying on themselves to get all the information of a flight. I'm happy to let the data collection part of the brief be done by someone who's job it is to do that.

Also, I will always check the online TAF's and Metars, radar, satellite and te like to verify what I was told. I would argue if you self brief, why would you take that extra step to verify anything because their is no need to verify something you yourself did.

I think this is a classic case of "to each his/her own." Whatever method people use should be fine as long as people are taking the time to get all the relavant information pertaining to a flight( one of all of our primary responsibilities as a pilot.)

 

[vontresc]

To be honest, the last time I called 1-800-VFR-Not-Recommended was when I had no internet in the northwoods of WI, and I had to fly IFR back home. I do think the new briefing site they have is actually pretty nice though.

 

[bobmrg]

For what it is worth, a 1800wxbrief specialist told me that because they ARE the FAA they have direct access to towers, centers, and radar facilities to fix any glitches in the system. He said that the great majority of the "missing flight plan" situations arise because the filer used a third-party to file online. Just sayin'.

Bob

 

[Clip4]

Each telephone briefing also contains every single reporting station along the route of flight and the person on the phone always says if any reporting station is showing any observations of importance. I've also had many phone calls where the briefer tells me about observations and radar returns hundreds of miles away from my route. How exactly is that not a full picture? Plus you get any notams and any important information containing important airspace notifications along the route as well.

I think you may have your ways and that's fine but really their is no way the old fashion way of getting a telephone briefing is not as good if not better than self briefing. Those who rely on self briefing are relying on themselves to get all the information of a flight. I'm happy to let the data collection part of the brief be done by someone who's job it is to do that.

Also, I will always check the online TAF's and Metars, radar, satellite and te like to verify what I was told. I would argue if you self brief, why would you take that extra step to verify anything because their is no need to verify something you yourself did.

I think this is a classic case of "to each his/her own." Whatever method people use should be fine as long as people are taking the time to get all the relavant information pertaining to a flight( one of all of our primary responsibilities as a pilot.)

Ever heard a picture is worth a thousand words? And can you record all those notams and other info you are being read? Enough said.