Useful graphic weather forecast online?

stratobee

stratobee

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stratobee
Nothing winds me up more than the frankly ancient practices we cling to in aviation just because it's the "way it's always been done". Only in aviation do we sit behind engines that still have carburettors that ice up (I'm looking at you Cessna 162 Skycatcher!), magnetos that spark (like 30's tractors) and where the engines haven't changed one bit in 70 years. And when it comes to weather, it's exactly the same. On all the "big" aviation wx sites we're still looking at abbreviated text based nightmares designed to be distributed over telex strips (a machine that became obsolete about 50 years ago). Stupid Metars and TAF's and worst offender of all: the FA report (Area Forecast - logic didn't prevail in the shortening of that). I won't go into how much I hate these things. There is zero need in this day and age to deliver in this incomprehensible/gibberish format where one needs a 10 page ledger that explains all the nonsensical abbreviations they contain. What do you mean you don't know these by heart? :mad2::yikes:

http://www.avweb.com/news/news/184476-1.html?redirected=1

On my Foreflight app I get pretty much the perfect user friendly weather. I can see satellite images overlaid, I can see radar, I can see ceilings, winds, winds aloft, visibility etc. It's all I need for flight planning. However, sometimes I don't have wi-fi connection or access to internet and then I'm forced to use the usual old c*rap like NOAA etc and my head starts hurting and I lose the will to live. I don't think there's is a less user friendly and ugly website in the world.

So here is (finally) my question: Is there an aviation wx website that is as simple and user-friendly as Foreflight? What do you guys/girls use for weather planning when away from the EFB?
 
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The problem is that they need to be QICP certified.
I believe only duats is certified right now.
I've used avnwx.com and aviationweather.gov but always use duats so I'm legal.
 
teejayevans said:
The problem is that they need to be QICP certified.
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For most of us, that is not true.
I believe only duats is certified right now.
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That is also not true. Foreflight, fltpn.com, some parts of aviationweather.gov, ... are some of them.


My favorite is weathermeister.com
 
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Not a website but Hands down Takeoff HD is the most user friendly Wx app I have seen.
 
stratobee said:
Nothing winds me up more than the frankly ancient practices we cling to in aviation just because it's the "way it's always been done". Only in aviation do we sit behind engines that still have carburettors that ice up, magnetos that spark (like 30's tractors) and where the engines haven't changed one bit in 70 years. And when it comes to weather, it's exactly the same. On all the "big" aviation wx sites we're still looking at abbreviated text based nightmares designed to be distributed over telex strips (a machine that became obsolete about 50 years ago). Stupid Metars and TAF's and worst offender of all: the FA report (Area Forecast - logic didn't prevail in the shortening of that). I won't go into how much I hate these things. There is zero need in this day and age to deliver in this incomprehensibly gibberish format where one needs a 10 page ledger that explains all the nonsensical abbreviations they contain. What do you mean you don't know these by heart? :mad2::yikes:

http://www.avweb.com/news/news/184476-1.html?redirected=1

On my Foreflight app I get pretty much the perfect user friendly weather. I can see satellite images overlaid, I can see radar, I can see ceilings, winds, winds aloft, visibility etc. It's all I need for flight planning. However, sometimes I don't have wi-fi connection or access to internet and then I'm forced to use the usual old c*rap like NOAA etc and my head starts hurting and I lose the will to live. I don't think there's is a less user friendly and ugly website in the world.

So here is (finally) my question: Is there an aviation wx website that is as simple and user-friendly as Foreflight? What do you guys/girls use for weather planning when away from the EFB?
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I'm trying to figure out where you can access an aviation wx website and not be able to access foreflight wx services?

Sounds like you have an iPad without cellular. So do I and yet I still find it difficult to be offline. My iPhone has both a wifi hotspot capability and another copy of Foreflight so as long as there is cell coverage, I have Foreflight.

Oh, so you mean if you don't have a phone in your pocket or you are outside decent cell coverage while standing next to an internet connected workstation.

Sorry, can't help. :no:
 
scottd said:
I got frustrated with the lack of a comprehensive preflight weather planning tool, so I created my own. I believe it's one of the best tools available, but doesn't contain just the "official" forecasts. It's mostly graphical and includes forecasts that have some of the highest resolution guidance available. Yes, I do provide only coded TAFs and METARs because that's the best way to show trends in the weather and forecasts. Given that it took me plenty of $$$ to develop it, it's not free. It's part of my subscription-based website.
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I'm a big fan of ScottD's Weather RoadMap briefing tool. Once you know how to use the product, it is a most excellent tool to get an in-depth brief on what's going on with the weather.

I too like Weathermeister for a quick "snap shot" and or local flights. But for longer or more critical flights, Scott's RoadMap system is well worth the subscription fee.
 
maneth said:
That is neat-o.

The email function could def come in handy. Do you have the premium version or basic?
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I've got the Premium. To me it's the easiest, less likely to omit something, layout I've seen for weather information. There's an annoyance with the mobile version of the site, but it's minor and someday they'll fix it.
 
I share your frustration. I end up going to many sources, never completely satisfied. I actually like this page pretty well:

http://aviationweather.gov/adds/tafs/

Click on a place on the map, then you can step forward/back to view past METARs and future TAFs. They also have prog charts and a winds/temps view that is very good. Also on that site, look for the NWS aviation forecast discussions. Now that I'm talking about it, I guess that it's a pretty decent site. A much different interface than FF, of course, but it works once you get used to it.

Currently, I am looking for a decent Android app that has a good interface to zoomable visible/IR satellite images. Raindar is an awesome app for radar, but satellite comes in handy sometimes.

By the way, I actually like the area forecast in an odd, quick-and-dirty way.
 
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I've been going straight to the NOAA website for years. Might as well get it from the source.
 
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