Sport Pilot Talk

Aside from local weather consideration in unfamiliar territories, is there any reason to use phone for weather service anymore? "All available information" on ForeFlight is worth a thousand words... plus the benifit of a visual picture... setup with whatever detail you would like.

Advantages of teaching the phone method to students?

Does the application make a record that is traceable that you received a briefing? I have always taught use all the wonderful sources of weather online, but call to make sure there is a record of you in the system just before flight.

3Dreaming wrote:Does the application make a record that is traceable that you received a briefing? I have always taught use all the wonderful sources of weather online, but call to make sure there is a record of you in the system just before flight.

I too was taught to call 1800-WX Brief (Lockheed Martin) to ensure I have the latest weather, turbulence, PIREPS available, and that the call was recorded as proof that I had a weather briefing.

I generally use Internet but will call on occasion. I will often supplement the official brifing with non aviation sources. As far as students go, some are more comfortable with the telephone, and as previously mentioned all available methods should be taught.

3Dreaming wrote:Does the application make a record that is traceable that you received a briefing? I have always taught use all the wonderful sources of weather online, but call to make sure there is a record of you in the system just before flight.

Yes. If you enter your tail number on Duats there is a record of a legal briefing.
ForeFlight brief is served by an official brief service and is also a legal record of your briefing (assuming that there is a n-number assigned to your flight plan).

The thing about ForeFlight is that information is so readily interpreted, and customized on a graphic display. You can see exactly WHERE the TFR is, what the ceilings are on your route, radar and SIGMETS on chart, etc.

Personally I couldn't imagine talking to a briefer on the phone unless I wanted a professional opinion... eg. I will be flying over the desert or mountains and am not familiar with local weather trends.

designrs wrote:

3Dreaming wrote:Does the application make a record that is traceable that you received a briefing? I have always taught use all the wonderful sources of weather online, but call to make sure there is a record of you in the system just before flight.

Yes. If you enter your tail number on Duats there is a record of a legal briefing.
ForeFlight brief is served by an official brief service and is also a legal record of your briefing (assuming that there is a n-number assigned to your flight plan).

The thing about ForeFlight is that information is so readily interpreted, and customized on a graphic display. You can see exactly WHERE the TFR is, what the ceilings are on your route, radar and SIGMETS on chart, etc.

Personally I couldn't imagine talking to a briefer on the phone unless I wanted a professional opinion... eg. I will be flying over the desert or mountains and am not familiar with local weather trends.

I know DUATS records a record when you log in, I was speaking more towards the Fore Flight type applications. How quickly do they update information on TFR's. I know they do a good job of having the ones that are scheduled, but what if one were to pop up now and you are taking off in 15 minutes? In my opinion it that last minute call can save your butt, I know it did for me.

ForeFlight downloads current TFR data every 15 minutes from the FAA servers. This data is then displayed in ForeFlight Mobile when connected to the internet.

Info about halfway down this page:
http://www.foreflight.com/support/faqs/ ... ht-mobile/

The Stratus receives: NEXRAD radar, METARs, TAFs, TFRs, SIGMETs, AIRMETs, NOTAMs, Pilot Reports and wind/temperature aloft.

https://www.sportys.com/pilotshop/stratusfaq/

... and of course the TFR is graphically displayed on ForeFlight, with all available information, local time, altitude, etc.

I don't use any of the modern in flight apps. Nor do I let my students use them. I think I will stick with a phone call to the briefer before take off.

Garmin Pilot for me. It gives all the information I need. If I need more info than the app gives me to make a go/no go decision, then I'm not going.

From my point of view it is not about having all the information you need, it is about protecting your butt. If you were to happen to bust a TFR that was issued just as you were taking off, and Garmin pilot didn't pick it up before you busted it, that call just before take off is the only thing that is going to keep you out of trouble.

On Thursday September 13, 2001 at 10:00 AM Central time I took off VFR to fly some pipeline patrol. I had spoke to flight service just 10 minutes before departure, and they stated that VFR traffic was to be released at that time. I was about a hour into my flight when I got a message that they in fact had not released VFR traffic. I turned around and landed at the closest airport, which happened to be a class C airport. That call to Flight service 10 minutes before I departed was the only thing that kept me from getting a violation.

eyeflygps wrote:We probably should all adopt the "Fast Eddie" method. Get your weather information and pre-flight info however you want, but call just before takeoff and get the latest on TFR's.

Now that's what I'm talking about.

designrs wrote:Advantages of teaching the phone method to students?

Apps can't verbally tell you "VFR not recommended" ???

When I was flying pipeline patrol I called before every flight. I often felt the briefer used the statement "VFR not recommended" to try and get me off the phone without doing their job, which is providing pilots with weather briefings. It never worked. I always told them I needed the information anyway. I flew the line many times when the briefer had said "VFR not recommended".

eyeflygps wrote:We probably should all adopt the "Fast Eddie" method. Get your weather information and pre-flight info however you want, but call just before takeoff and get the latest on TFR's.

How is that different from hitting "refresh" on your brief screen in an app right before takeoff? Both that and a phone call are considered official by the FAA and are logged. They use the same information, but the app will also put any new TFRs on your map.