New, cutting edge - and free - briefing service

[Jack Tyler]

Be sure to look out for Lockheed Martin Flight Service's new briefing system when it's rolled out. If you're like me, you occasionally use DUATS for a briefing and you sometimes take your briefing from an app such as Foreflight. And you may file in either fashion, as well...or with Flight Service directly. For many of us, this is about to change.

There's an entirely new service about to be offered by LMFS, it was offered to attendees at AOPA Summit in beta format...and it's capabilities are going to be awesome. Among many, some of the new system's capabilities are:
-- after you file, if a runway is closed, TFR is established (e.g. a fire fighting area is formalized) or one of many different kinds of wx alerts is generated that affects your route of flight, THEY call you (SMS or email) .
-- once you brief and file (let's say via DUATS or Foreflight) suppose there's a developing issue you want to talk with a flight briefer about. First, if your flight is more than an hour away, FSS doesn't even have your flight plan. It hasnt been released to FSS yet. If it's just before you launch and you want an update, they won't have your intended route or any of your a/c info. Those issues are removed if you brief & file with LMFS's service.
--so let's assume you do want that update. If you file with LMFS' new service, what you are seeing on your iPad or desktop computer is EXACTLY what the briefer is seeing (S/he can even point to what you are seeing on your screen). This is not possible currently. I can tell you this is very helpful when you have the local knowledge about your area but the Briefer knows how to interpret what you both are briefing.
--none of this is the gee-whiz stuff. What they demo'd that is unfolding over the next 4 6-month periods is astounding. If I'd had their new capabilities in my recent FL-MT-FL trip, it would have made my briefing not just easier but far more accurate and functional on the actual flight. I was very impressed with where LMFS is heading. Imagine ALL of the wx, winds aloft, TFR, etc info being folded into your specific flight plan - exactly at the time you will be in that envelope - and represented in 3D fashion for you to see, so you can 'see' your flight before you make it. It was VERY impressive.

LMFS will be intro'ing these new features at Sun 'n Fun and AOPA Summit, two each, over the next two years. IMO the best way to stay in touch with this new way to brief & file is to check in with LMFS every so often until they roll it out to the pilot community. And they will be intro'ing the service and A-CAS very shortly.

A bit more can be found:
http://www.flyingmag.com/news/lockheed- ... e-hits-web

Really good stuff. And the price is right, too.