Question : How do you prepare your VFR flights ?

Pat Flyer

Pat Flyer

Pre-Flight
Joined
Apr 13, 2013
Messages
64
Location
Puteaux, France
Display Name
Display name:
Patrick
Hello to all,

A few days ago I posted an article about a new web service available in France to help French pilots prepare their VFR flights.
It got me wondering about variations in methods to go about this essential part of the flight.

How do american pilots prepare their flights ?
Is there a preferred method to ensure nothing is forgotten ?
What tools do you use to get your weather forecast, Taf, Metar, Notams ?
How do you decide on your route ? Do you use paper maps or GPS, iPads, or all ?

I imagine our methods are not very different but our tools may be. I would be very interested in any comment. Is there are any FIs out there please feel free to comment.

Thanks

Patrick

P.S.: If interested here is the link to the article
http://www.qualified-quail.com/article-a-fond-dans-la-preparation-deep-in-preparation-120282216.html
 
I usually get a printout briefing (Metars/TAFs/TFRs/Notams) and then call the briefer before departure to be sure I didn't miss anything.
 
I'm usually watching the weather all the time for general awareness of patterns and trends (e.g., fronts moving faster or slower than expected) - also I look for @#($ TFRs

assumption: the destination is known, including relevant departure/destination airports. oh yeah, I make sure I'm rested and able to fly.

Prior to the flight obtain weather information via web sources (e.g., NWS) and look for (*@&#$ TFRs.

Just prior to preflighting the aircraft, call 1-800-WX-BRIEF for a briefing - expliciting asking about @#$& TFRs.

preflight

launch and enjoy the miracle of flight.
 
Local? I check METAR, TAF and for TFRs, then go.

VFR XC? I plan/brief the same way I would for IFR, but just don't file. I only do VFR XC when the flight is an hour or less. Longer than that I file, even in good weather.
 
Any of the qualified providers (which you're not obliged to use) is going to regurgitate the official information in some format. You need nothing to remind you of what it is you need to receive, the default is to give you the required stuff.

Over and above that, having graphical presentations of where the weather and TFRs are with respect to your plotted course is frequently informative.

I won't even go up for staying in the pattern without checking TFR/Notams.
 
Like most I typically start reviewing the weather (DUATS Briefing) as soon as I know I will be making a trip. I review the weather and familiarize myself will all the airports and airspace along the route. The night before I typically check Notams and special use airspace as well. Before the flight I call Flight Services for a briefing. If it's a long trip I will also file a flight plan.
 
flyingron said:
...I won't even go up for staying in the pattern without checking TFR/Notams.
Click to expand...

do you do this via a call to 800-Wx-brief, Foreflight, online, other?
 
I do most of my flight planning using ForeFlight on my iPad. For XC flights, I will call 800-Wx-brief on my way to the airport. Shorter flights I will just brief on ForeFlight (TFRs, NOTAMs and weather). If I need a car or overnight accommodations, I use Airnav.com to find an FBO and check reviews.
 
Pretty much DUATS for weather maps, TFRs, and NOTAMS. Plus NFL / MLB websites if I am flying north (which puts me over stadiums).
 
I'm sure I am missing something, but without actually doing it all right now, this is my general process. I recently got my license. I am VFR pilot and assume things will be different or studied more in depth for IFR.

1. Look at weather.com and peek at the 10 day to see what is the general forecast. I like to know what is behind today or tomorrow to see if maybe a front is coming. See if what could happen if I get stuck somewhere etc.

2. Pull up aviationweather.gov and compare to weather.com

3. on aviationweather.gov I click on the Hourly Weather Graph on the right side. Get a better idea what the general area is forecasting hourly

4. get on ForeFlight and view the weather imagery, forecasts, Airmets, Sigmets etc. (basically all the relative options you are provided on foreflight imagery) and then plan my trip route accordingly.

5. Check the TAF at multiple airports in route and my destination

6. Look the radar and satelite overlays on foreflight to see if anything may be active or on the move

7. Get a text briefing via ForeFlight for my desired departure time/date

8. Draw up my basic plan on a custom flight log sheet with the important info I use such as Distances/times, Rwy Info, Freq's,etc.. Make sure my sectional is open and folded.

9. on my way to the airport I call 1-800-WX-BRIEF and hope to hear what my research shows is accurate.

10. go fly.
 
Last edited:
It depends. Local short flights I will check the local metars, and conditions right before I take off. Anything longer then I will check weather maps, and trends. I fly for fun, and even on my longer IFR flights, I will only check the weather just before I start flying(typically about 45 minutes before). I fly almost exclusively on weekends, and holidays as my job pretty much has me hopping 24/5 on weekdays. Weekend mornings I start at 7am and usually finish about 9am and will arrive at the airport about fifteen minutes from the last place I have things to do. So before I start at the last place, while checking the computer I sign onto DUAT and check the weather, TFR's, and NOTAMS.
 
for weather i'll usually call up flight briefer and look at DUATS even though he's pretty much telling me everything on DUATS. i like to keep those flight briefers busy! for the route, there is usually an abundance of VOR's to choose from in new york, so usually ill just hop from one VOR to another. i'll still do the usual wind correction angle, magnetic compass error and all that stuff. usually im flying with a 430 so ill have nav 1 set for the gps and nav 2 set for the raw data VOR. ill print out airport diagrams and study them the day of or night before if they are unfamiliar. and finally ill print out my route on fltplan.com and ill usually just follow that
 
Badger said:
do you do this via a call to 800-Wx-brief, Foreflight, online, other?
Click to expand...

If I'm at home, I use weathermeister and the FAA TFR site.

If I'm at someplace remote, I'll use 800VFRNOTRECOMMEDED or DUATS.
 
It seems a pretty consistent answer to call the briefer, but what info does it give you that ForeFlight or DUATS or www.aviationweather.gov not give you? Just curious.
I'm a low time vfr pilot trying to soak up as much info as I can.
 
Old Gordon Baxter quote:

"I just whip out my blue card with a hole in it and read what it says: 'When color of card matches color of sky, FLY!'"
— Gordon Baxter​
​
​
 
Use Foreflight for preplanning. Also to keep an eye on the weather and notams.Carry my I pad on all flights even local flights.
 
Foreflight ->www.wunderground->briefer (Repeat just before flight) double check throughout flight. Keep ipad,iphone handy throughout flight.
 
Usually just my Wingx iPad app and it's automated DUATS briefing, plus I look at 'usairnet.com' to see weather projections. On occasions I will call FSS for a weather brief if I'm not comfortable with what I'm seeing from my internet data. In flight I have ADS-B weather.
 
1) Kick tires
2) Light fires.


But really though, I start every flight with a call to the briefer at minimum. If it's something I had planned in advance I'll be watching the weather from a few days out. Other than that, the standard sources and then I make flight.
 
Last edited:
teethdoc said:
It seems a pretty consistent answer to call the briefer, but what info does it give you that ForeFlight or DUATS or www.aviationweather.gov not give you? Just curious.
I'm a low time vfr pilot trying to soak up as much info as I can.
Click to expand...

An instructor I flew with one time for an add-on rating told me that i should call a briefer every time i go up, even for pattern work. His reason was that if there's ever an accident, the report always mentions whether the pilot got a briefing. I'm not sure that's even true, but it sure seems like a pessimistic way to run your life...
 
A check of TFRs/NOTAMs, quick look at sat photos, and I'm off.
 
I can't remember the last time I called a briefer. With the closure of so many facilities the wx briefer does not have that local knowledge. I review wx online, check notams and TFR's then file IFR. If it's a short hop I won't file but on occasion pick up flight following if near the Dover AFB or Philly's bravo.
 
Pat Flyer said:
Thanks for all your answers.
Keep tem coming.
Click to expand...
Patrick;
Are Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) common in France? We seem to always have a dozen or more active every day. Then there are the so called stadium TFRs where you're presumed to know what the football or baseball schedules are for pro and college games.
 
teethdoc said:
It seems a pretty consistent answer to call the briefer, but what info does it give you that ForeFlight or DUATS or www.aviationweather.gov not give you? Just curious.
I'm a low time vfr pilot trying to soak up as much info as I can.
Click to expand...

The briefer is much more proficient at sifting through the encoded data,especially the NOTAMs, than I am and will likely inform me of something I may have missed. If I brief through through DUAT(S) and miss something and get violated, it's 100% on me. If I call and get a briefing and they miss something that gets me violated, I have some mitigation.
 
First, I go to weatherunderground on my computer, if things look good I then go to destination. If things look good, I go to airport and take off. While on way to airport I look at sky. If blue ....ok, if not, hang around airport to see what happens and speak with anyone who has just landed. This is for low altitude usually 100 mile radius flying. I do not fly IFR. Leave that to southwest.
 
JasonM said:
I'm sure I am missing something, but without actually doing it all right now, this is my general process. I recently got my license. I am VFR pilot and assume things will be different or studied more in depth for IFR.

1. Look at weather.com and peek at the 10 day to see what is the general forecast. I like to know what is behind today or tomorrow to see if maybe a front is coming. See if what could happen if I get stuck somewhere etc.

2. Pull up aviationweather.gov and compare to weather.com

3. on aviationweather.gov I click on the Hourly Weather Graph on the right side. Get a better idea what the general area is forecasting hourly

4. get on ForeFlight and view the weather imagery, forecasts, Airmets, Sigmets etc. (basically all the relative options you are provided on foreflight imagery) and then plan my trip route accordingly.

5. Check the TAF at multiple airports in route and my destination

6. Look the radar and satelite overlays on foreflight to see if anything may be active or on the move

7. Get a text briefing via ForeFlight for my desired departure time/date

8. Draw up my basic plan on a custom flight log sheet with the important info I use such as Distances/times, Rwy Info, Freq's,etc.. Make sure my sectional is open and folded.

9. on my way to the airport I call 1-800-WX-BRIEF and hope to hear what my research shows is accurate.

10. go fly.
Click to expand...

Nice list.

I'll add an 11. Check the skew-T.

http://rucsoundings.noaa.gov

That will tell you about icing, stability, turbulence, wind shear, fog, clouds, freezing level, etc. I only wish I could limit it to 15000 feet or so. I don't really need to know where the tropopause is (though it's easy to see) or what the winds are at FL400.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top