Do you call the briefer for local flights

bigred177

bigred177

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bigred
I was doing some local flying around the other day, stopping in at the other airports in the area and saying hi. Then I got to wondering if anyone calls the weather briefer before they fly around locally. If you don't, do you do any checking for TFRs or NOTAMS that may apply to one of the airports you intend to land at?
 
If I'm staying in the pattern (tower controlled airspace where I usually fly), no. If I'm in airspace where I don't need to talk to a controller, yes and I may use flight folllowing as well.

One just never knows when the POTUS, Mickey Mouse, or another VIP will get a taste for Omaha Steak anymore.
 
I don't even call the briefer for XC flights. The last time I did I was heading from 10C to 6Y9, my heading was 360 and 10C is 50miles or so NW from Chicago. 6Y9 is in the UP of Michigan. I had to tell the briefer three times that I was not interested in the storm that was in Kentucky.
 
I rarely call the briefer for any flight, as I rely primarily on internet resources for flight planning, weather, and filing; I call 800-WX-BRIEF only when all else fails. However, with things as they are today, I don't fly anywhere (not even up in the traffic pattern) without getting a check from some reliable source on NOTAM's and TFR's -- especially TFR's. Why? I've seen good pilots with decades and thousands of hours of experience eaten by a surprise TFR to which a check with any of those sources would have alerted them. Is the chance 30 days on the ground worth the savings of 3-5 minutes? I think not.
 
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I rarely call for a briefing. I prefer to use DUATs, because if I look at the various products myself, I feel like I have a better feel for the weather than I do by talking to someone on the phone.
 
I call and just ask if there are any TFR's in the area.
They seem to have no problem with this.
 
Ron Levy said:
I rarely call the briefer for any flight, as I rely primarily on internet resources for flight planning, weather, and filing; I call 800-WX-BRIEF only when all else fails. However, with things as they are today, I don't fly anywhere (not even up in the traffic pattern) without getting a check from some reliable source on NOTAM's and TFR's -- especially TFR's. Why? I've seen good pilots with decades and thousands of hours of experience eaten by a surprise TFR to which a check with any of those sources would have alerted them. Is the chance 30 days on the ground worth the savings of 3-5 minutes? I think not.
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Where do you get your NOTAM and TFR information online?
 
I have not called FSS in years. Not since they switched to LM. I do get online and check myself.

I used to be the type that wouldn't bother with even that for local flights. Until one day I'm flying around, monitoring a local tower's frequency and hear "Maule 32G are you on the frequency?" uh, yes, I'm listening. "I'd suggest you don't continue flying in that direction or you are going to be in a TFR soon." doh! So very nice of him to caution me. (they knew who I was - went past their airspace every day at about the same time with a banner in tow)
 
Speed said:
I used to be the type that wouldn't bother with even that for local flights. Until one day I'm flying around, monitoring a local tower's frequency and hear "Maule 32G are you on the frequency?" uh, yes, I'm listening. "I'd suggest you don't continue flying in that direction or you are going to be in a TFR soon." doh! So very nice of him to caution me. (they knew who I was - went past their airspace every day at about the same time with a banner in tow)
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That's why I always monitor 121.5 on my #2 comm except when I'm on the ground -- last chance for them to save me from my own screw-up.
 
Not for local, TFR's are online. I can see the weather from my front yard. I am 2 miles off SeaTac's threshold. If I can see the big iron It is clear enough for me. With so many Airports, I can see to the the pattern of my next haven before I leave the pattern I am in. If I can fly safely to pattern altitude I can decide if it is safe to proceed. Today It was not. .3 hobbs, Just out of the BFI pattern & right back. Once I am out of my sandbox I usually call & file a VFR flight plan. DaveR
 
I use fltplan.com. It has both NOTAMS and TFRs. Have a 496 in the plane that should update the TFR information if it changes in flight.

Best,

Dave
 
My renter's agreement says that I will get a briefing before any flight. Can't remember if it specifies a phone call or not. I usually call - normally I check DUATS first from home, form my own opinion, then call the briefer just before I take off. Only adds a few minutes - I haven't been surprised yet.
 
I use DUATS and check the site Ron indicates above. I almost also file IFR on any flight over 100 nm because it just makes it easier with less concerns. I pretty much gave up on calling WX-BRIEF since they tell me a lot that doesn't matter and little that does.
 
Ron Levy said:
DUATS or the FAA TFR/NOTAM site (http://www.faa.gov/pilots/flt_plan/notams/).
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I just went to the FAA site and checked on a TFR near Rifle Colorado. I noted the following disclaimer at the bottom of the page:

Depicted TFR data may not be a complete listing. Pilots should not use the information on this website for flight planning purposes. For the latest information, call your local Flight Service Station at 1-800-WX-BRIEF.
 
Just checking TFR's is not enough.

Last week I looked the TFR Map and nothing was showing in Idaho. However if you took off West bound from my local airport you would have ran right into an active NOTAM'ed Airshow that restricted the airspace within 5 miles of the neighboring airport. I happened to be towing a glider in the airshow so I had prior permision, but someone just checking the TFR's might note have know anything about it.

Brian
 
brcase said:
Just checking TFR's is not enough.

Last week I looked the TFR Map and nothing was showing in Idaho. However if you took off West bound from my local airport you would have ran right into an active NOTAM'ed Airshow that restricted the airspace within 5 miles of the neighboring airport. I happened to be towing a glider in the airshow so I had prior permision, but someone just checking the TFR's might note have know anything about it.

Brian
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This is the situation I'm most worried about.
 
I use DUATS... I go the standard briefing and enter the tail number and other stuff... That leaves a record in their system that received a briefing... I do this primarily as cya against the pop up TFR's while in flight...
Tomorrow we have the vice president clogging up airspace at the local jetport, KMBS... At least for him the quarantined airspace is reasonable - unlike the head cheese...

denny-o
 
I always always always get a briefing. Sometimes it's DUATS, sometimes
it'a live briefer. It depends on how much time will elapse between the duats
briefing and when I get actually get airborne. (right now my airplane
is in a hangar and it's usually buried by at least other aircraft)
 
bigred177 said:
I was doing some local flying around the other day, stopping in at the other airports in the area and saying hi. Then I got to wondering if anyone calls the weather briefer before they fly around locally. If you don't, do you do any checking for TFRs or NOTAMS that may apply to one of the airports you intend to land at?
Click to expand...

I use DUATS for both local and XC planning. For local, I will create a fictional flight that traverses the local area. As for TFRs, I use TFRCheck.com, which provides a nice graphic of the situation: http://www.tfrcheck.com/

Dave
 
bigred177 said:
This is the situation I'm most worried about.
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Me too. This one almost got me on my student long XC. I even got a FSS briefing before departing from home base (this was before LM took over), and my CFI didn't have a clue about the TFR either. My first stop was at KAPN, whereat I rang up FSS to file VFR for my second leg (KAPN -> KTVC). That's when they told me about the Blue Angels performing at TVC and the NOTAM'd airspace. So, a wee change of plans after consulting with my CFI, bypassed KTVC and went to my planned third stop (KMKG) instead. But if I hadn't been actually filing a flight plan, I wouldn't have known about it until I was in the air (I'm sure ZMP would have told me about it, but still...).
 
Liz- that's the main reason I call just before departure and ask for a standard briefing. I also specifically ask about TFRs too- I want it on tape that I asked and nothing came up.
 
I call FSS prior to every flight. Even if just doing pattern or local area. At a minimum, I'll ask for a 'no weather' briefing, instead just inquiring on TFR and NOTAMs.

bigred177 said:
I was doing some local flying around the other day, stopping in at the other airports in the area and saying hi. Then I got to wondering if anyone calls the weather briefer before they fly around locally. If you don't, do you do any checking for TFRs or NOTAMS that may apply to one of the airports you intend to land at?
Click to expand...
 
Bob Noel said:
I always always always get a briefing. Sometimes it's DUATS, sometimes
it'a live briefer. It depends on how much time will elapse between the duats
briefing and when I get actually get airborne. (right now my airplane
is in a hangar and it's usually buried by at least other aircraft)
Click to expand...

When youse guys say "duats" do you mean duats.com specifically or are you referring to duats in general which could be with or without the s .com?
 
I use DUATS and the Golden Eagle flight planner. Both have TFR's.
 
Based on reading these threads, it looks to me like the FAA needs to do a better job of getting the word out. How hard is it to be sure their own website is kept current? One should not have to call to get the latest information.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
When youse guys say "duats" do you mean duats.com specifically or are you referring to duats in general which could be with or without the s .com?
Click to expand...
Either should work and constitute a legal briefing, I use the one with the 's'; but no good reason for my choice.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
Either should work and constitute a legal briefing, I use the one with the 's'; but no good reason for my choice.
Click to expand...

I signed up for duat.com - just wondering if one was more popular. (it a bit more of an effort to sign up if you are one of those light and sporty guys without a medical...)
 
I suspect the one with the 's' is more popular- the name duats = duats.com; also the company that runs duats.com has been doing some advertising in AOPA (although less recently). I can't say one is better than the other.
 
This has been interesting because Fltplan.com is an approved service. I'm planning a flight to the Dells (KDLL) on Friday and perused NOTAMs as usual. Nothing on there about an airshow this weekend, but a call to the FBO raised it. So, I'm following up to see if a NOTAM was filed. If so, why Fltplan.com doesn't show it.

(Fltplan.com has a link to the FAA page for FDC NOTAMs and airway/approach NOTAMs can be selected.)

Best,

Dave
 
Well, I called the FBO there and they say it's not posted yet (NOTAM). They plan on putting it up Late Wednesday or early Thursday. Doesn't leave much forewarning if one if planning a flight into there. Also shows many of these are posted pretty late even when planned well in advance.

Best,

Dave
 
And I have no choice but to file a flight plan for local flights (unless staying in the traffic pattern and talking to tower)...

SFRA.
 
I most always do weather stuff online, but I do call FSS before each flight to get a last check on TFR's. I'd prefer that tapes to record that NO TFR'S ARE AFFECTING MY ROUTE OF FLIGHT. Don't know if it would make any difference should I enter one on my planned routing after being told none existed, however.
 
Yes, it would make a difference. Ron or one of the mid-Atlantic folks would know better but there was an incident a couple years ago where a bunch of aircraft violated a TFR during a fly-in (expanded Camp David area I think). Because it could be shown that they were not told of the flight restriction during their standard FSS briefings, all enforcement actions were dropped.

Jon
 
4CornerFlyer said:
Yes, it would make a difference. Ron or one of the mid-Atlantic folks would know better but there was an incident a couple years ago where a bunch of aircraft violated a TFR during a fly-in (expanded Camp David area I think). Because it could be shown that they were not told of the flight restriction during their standard FSS briefings, all enforcement actions were dropped.
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Correct. There was a problem with the NOTAM so FSS didn't get it. And that's not the only case like it where the briefer missed the TFR NOTAM and the pilot skated -- but only after a lot of hassle.
 
DUAT and DUATS are approved services; fltplan.com was also mentioned as being approved...how can one tell if a service is "approved"?

By this, I mean that if I print out NOTAMS from a service just prior to a flight and can demonstrate a NOTAM was missing; I could avoid an enforcement action from use of that service.

Would AOPA's flight planner count, for example?

Thanks in advance!
 
Cap'n Jack said:
DUAT and DUATS are approved services; fltplan.com was also mentioned as being approved...how can one tell if a service is "approved"?

By this, I mean that if I print out NOTAMS from a service just prior to a flight and can demonstrate a NOTAM was missing; I could avoid an enforcement action from use of that service.

Would AOPA's flight planner count, for example?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I think the key term is Qualified Internet Communications Provider (QICP), which is defined in AC00-62. I think DUAT and DUATS are QICP certified. Fltplan.com claims they are as well, and www.aviationweather.gov is as well (or will be soon). At least, that's my understanding - someone will be along soon to correct me otherwise. One of the requirements appears to be that the system can tell who accessed the information and logs it. There are also requirements on system access time and outages.

Aopa's flight planner can get DUAT or DUATS briefings, but I don't think the Aopa.com weather charts count.
 
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