Sport Pilot Talk

Hello,
About to do the checkride. Does anyone know if the examiner requires you to get a telephone weather briefing (1800wxbrief) or can I do this online at the FBO's computer? I've never done the phone brief before, so wonder if I should try it out once before the checkride.

Thanks,

You need a weather briefing to do a flight plan. You need a flight plan to fly a cross-country. You need to fly a cross-country to pass your test.

I think the question was, would a computer briefing suffice?

A few thoughts...

1) I don't believe there's any requirement to get a phone briefing - a comprehensive computer briefing meets the letter of the law.

2) Since there's not always a computer around, a pilot needs to be comfortable with a phone briefing.

3) I usually get my preflight weather online. But I make a point of ALWAYS calling FSS right before takeoff, not for weather, but to see if any TFR's or national security issues have cropped up since I last checked. I'd rather find out about a national airspace emergency or a Presidential visit before taking off. I do this even on local flights - better safe than sorry.

The examiner could certainly "fail" your internet connection to see if you could cope with a phone briefing. I'd be prepared for that - and its no big deal.

Thanks.

As for filing the flight plan...the Sport Pilot PTS specifically says you need to "simulate" filing a flight plan. I suppose the examiner could still require you to file a real flight plan?

Doss79 wrote:I suppose the examiner could still require you to file a real flight plan?

Whether it's required or not, it's bound to impress the hell out of the examiner if you do it for real. In fact, if he or she says "pretend I'm FSS and file your flight plan with me," it would doubtless score you major points if you replied "I'd just as soon call 1-800-WXBRIEF, get briefed, and actually file, if you have no objections."

(Only, then you'd better be prepared to put your money where your mouth is!)

One other tip: when calling FSS, be sure to identify yourself as "student pilot." The briefer will go slower, and be more patient with you.

Wow. I cannot believe your instructor signed you off as ready for the practical exam if he/she has not taught you how to make a phone call and have a conversation with a briefer.

You should ask your CFI for your money back.

Ask yourself what else he has not taught you?

Here is a cheat sheet I wrote for my students on how to get a briefing:
http://lsanorth.com/FSS%20Briefing.doc I have been meaning to rewrite it and update it.

As an instructor, a Civil Air Patrol member, a FAASTeam member, and a flight school owner... all the pilots I know require a verbal briefing prior to any flight no matter where you get your information. Speaking to a trained briefer, meteorologist, may someday save your life.

Hey Doss79,

Congrats on how far you have come. You must be "getting it" to be close to checkride.

Here's my 2 cents about getting weather.

Computer WX briefings are great and are legal, but...

My opinion is that all pilots, sport pilots on up the chain, should treat the FSS's like the briefer on the other end is your blood brother or sister, who just happens to be a meteorologist and knows flying too!!

If your sister WAS a real meteorologist, would you get on the phone w/her ALWAYS before going flying, to see if she had any thoughts or advice?

And while you were talking to her... You wouldn't be nervous... You'd treat her like your friend...and she would try to talk you out of going if weather made the trip unwise.

Wouldn't calling her ALWAYS be a good thing?

If I were you, I'd do the Cyberspace thingy before leaving home, and then "call your sister every time, just before takeoff."

In the PTS it specifically is written in the weather task:

"Exhibits knowledge of the elements related to real time weather information appropriate to the specific category/class aircraft by consulting the weather reports, charts, and forecasts from aeronautical weather reporting sources."
The key here is aeronautical weather reporting services. This implies to me either 1-800-WXbrief or http://aviationweather.gov/, however this could be some other aeronautical service. I believe very strongly that all pilots should do their weather analysis in the morning on a computer as the start (however this is not required).

During a checkride, in addition to asking the open question "How do you do your weather analysis before flight", I always ask to do an updated weather analysis and check for TFR's before the checkride flight. The only practical way to do this is to call 1-800-WXBrief since I do not have a computer handy which may not be near the aircraft. We pay taxes to have these services so do not be afraid to get started, everyone has to start sometime. Flight instructors should have the students calling 800WXBrief early in the flight lessons.

One of my flight instructors got me to look at it this way...Use 1800wxbrief like an insurance policy... if you call for a brief and they tell you everything should be fine with the weather but the next thing you know you get your self into IMC and have to call for help, as a VFR pilot it won't be your fault that you got into those conditions because there would be a record that you made a call and you were told there should be no problem enroute. However, if you are only using the computer, it WILL be YOUR fault and there wont be any evidence to show that you are not a knucklehead out there flying in conditions you shouldn't be.

lledsmar wrote:\it won't be your fault that you got into those conditions because there would be a record that you made a call

I smell baloney. Part 91 says the pilot is responsible for safe outcome of the flight.

However, if you are only using the computer, it WILL be YOUR fault and there wont be any evidence

With DUAT, there is the same "evidence" that you did get a weather briefing. There is no evidence, if you choose to use "weather.com" or some such thing, as the source of your weather briefings.

bryancobb wrote:Here's my 2 cents about getting weather.

Computer WX briefings are great and are legal, but...

My opinion is that all pilots, sport pilots on up the chain, should treat the FSS's like the briefer on the other end is your blood brother or sister, who just happens to be a meteorologist and knows flying too!!

Wouldn't calling her ALWAYS be a good thing?

If I were you, I'd do the Cyberspace thingy before leaving home, and then "call your sister every time, just before takeoff."

AWESOME way to put it Bryan. I always check the weather on my Ipad when I wake up in the morning and then call FSS on my way to the airport. Like FastEddie said, I want to know if any TFRs have reered their ugly heads.