Had a rough flight lesson today. Got a few questions.

[Jack Tyler]

You have to affirmativel choose to file a flight plan when using DUATS so no, creating a flight plan, outputting a a flight log and obtaining a briefing for that flight can all be done at any time without filing. And if you do file - but don't later activate your flight plan in the air - that plan just goes in the bit bucket. So e.g. if you create a plan early in the a.m., then get to the airport, look at the wx, and decide on a different destination/departure time/route, etc. you have two options. Create a new flight plan and then open that one in the air -or- you can call Flight Service and ask them to amend it along with picking up the new briefing.

But your Q's help illustrate why I think Lockheed-Martin's new pilot portal is a real improvement over the FSS brief + DUATS we're all familiar with. To back up a step, L-M could see the blossoming of flight planning/navigation apps and the many new devices being adopted by pilots several years ago. They decided to move their on-line briefing service more in the direction of what the devices can accomplish, but you need to register for and use their new system to benefit from it. They are continuing to add features (which they will intro at AOPA's Summit this Fall and at Sun 'n Fun next Spring) and they have also invited the main app writers (Foreflight, Wing X, etc.) to consider altering their apps to include some of this additional functionality. I normally plan and file via Foreflight or on-line via the new pilot portal, here are examples of how I've found this service helpful:
-- L-M's FSS instantly has access to your flight plan after you file using the pilot portal. Normally, they don't get the plan until 3 hrs before the flight. So e.g. two nights ago I planned and then filed for a flight to X06 from KHEG. I did this because I had an early departure and wanted to get started while having the time I needed that evening. So...how is this facilitated by the new pilot portal?
-- I wanted a specific answer to a VOR NOTAM I needed to rely on during the flight. I called FSS - the same # you use - and as he picked up the phone, he already knew who I was, he had all my a/c details (not normally the case with FSS), and my plan was right in front of him. Moreover...
-- He and I could look at *exactly* the same screens on our monitors (never possible with normal FSS service). I asked him to move to the 24 hr Prog (as being able to return home in the middle of a Florida summer day was a concern) and we discussed some of the symbology I was seeing vs. the wide area f'cast info in the brief. This brings the Briefer right into your room.
-- Along with many wx-related graphics, you also get a general picture of your route (that 'map' you asked about) displayed next to each aspect of the weather, TFRs, Airmets/Sigmets and so forth. The map's not highly detailed but I find it very helpful to see e.g. the boundaries of an Airmet overlaid on the map that also shows my route of flight. One of the big improvements soon to be intro'd by L-M is the system having the ability to look at your route in profile view (not just plan view like we see e.g. in Skyvector), combine your route with wind and wx f'cast data, and then generate a 3-dimensional recommended flight plan to optimize favorable winds and minimize wx problems. This won't help the student pilot so much because of the short legs s/he will be flying, but as you stretch your legs, this can both be helpful and also reduce the time needed.

There are lots more features & benefits. Even for those of us who no longer routinely call FSS for a briefing, I would hate to lose the use of this system and use it before almost every c/c flight.
-- To watch some of the short videos on the system, you can find them here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL ... dETHO_hroH
-- To register for the Pilot Portal, you can start here: https://www.lmfsweb.afss.com/Website/

[designrs]

Ups and downs in terms of skill level is normal. The variance is wider for a student. On a tough day your flying might not be as tight as it could be. Your landings might not be pretty or perfect. The big question is are you consistently safe and reasonably able to save your own ass when something isn't right (either by fixing the problem or getting out of the situation)? Sounds like you need to have a talk with your instructor and ask for very direct answers about what needs to happen for your solo.

Even if you are ready things have to be "just right" on solo day. The weather, your flying, and the feeling within both you and your instructor that it is time. I remember waiting to solo for a few weeks. It really could have happened at any time during those weeks. So I'm waiting and waiting. Then on this really nice perfect condition day I said to my instructor, "So when is this solo going to happen?" His answer was something like, "I don't know, maybe today." So we go to the plane. Did a very short cross country to our usual practice airport. My skills were good that day, the weather was perfect, and we both knew it was time.

Talk with your instructor. Get a feeling about:
1) what needs to happen
2) what you need to do
3) is your instructor really prepaired to let you solo if those things do happen

Good luck N918KT. We are all following you on your pilot journey!

[N918KT]

Thanks for the advice and encouragement designrs!!! I am going for another flight tomorrow morning for our original cross country flight. However there will be thunderstorms in the afternoon. We might be able to fly tomorrow still, but maybe not with a cross country.

Hey, even if I don't get to my first solo before going back to school, I think there are some positives that came out of my flight training. This is the first time made a regular schedule with my CFI to go fly every weekend. And also, I have been studying and reading the online Gleim material little by little just almost everyday, and I come to the flight lessons prepared. These things tell me that even if I don't get a chance to solo before going back to school, at least it will tell me that I do put in the effort to dedicate almost all of my summer to flight training with hopes of achieving a long-awaited goal of feeling like a pilot.