FAA Soaring Forecasts being eliminated?

I don't know what the rest of the country is experiencing, but here in
Denver the FSS recorded soaring forecast has gotten more and more infrequent
over the last month, and now it not being recorded at all. I strongly
suspect this is deliberate, as when I have actually contacted a briefer and
asked (politely) when the forecast might be recorded I have been told "we
are too busy".

I guess the thought doesn't occur to the FSS that it might take 15 minutes
to look at the 1200Z sounding and make a recording, where I can easily take
up 15 minutes of a briefer's time when he/she has to get the information
from scratch.

OK - maybe a daily forecast at each FSS all over thecountry in the winter
doesn't make sense, but in the middle of the high season?

I suspect that the hope is that most of us simply will not bother to
actually bother a briefer for the soaring data and will instead just
download the Skew -T. If the FAA can document that almost nobody is asking
for a briefing, then the recorded briefing will just be quietly eliminated
as showing lack of interest.

OK - the FAA briefing isn't totally accurate or informative (after all it
only reflects the AM sounding), but it at least gives me a quick "yes, no,
maybe" indication as to whether or not to even think about flying - then I
can check further online sources (and look out the window!) if this seems
sensible.

So - it appears to me that at least in Denver a convenient service is going
to be withdrawn unless our politically-savvy leaders approach the FSS/FAA
and make a formal objection. Of course we could all simply request a formal
briefing and drive them crazy to make the point, but I'd suggest this is
neither professional nor a sensible way to go.

Are others of you having the same problem?

Comments? Suggestions?

Neptune - Boulder CO

The online version of the forecast seems to still be alive:

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/bou/include/...entdir=routine

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/bou/include/...product=algbou
&parentdir=routine


This is what they use for most of the phone-forecast
product...it is still a daily product. The BLIP's
are also handy and mostly accurate.

You can obtain the Denver Soaring Forecast via the following URL:

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/bou/include/...entdir=routine

Having said that, during a seminar this spring of Colorado Soaring Pilots,
it was generally believed that due the impact of the Colorado terrain on the
weather, that the forecast above (same as the recording) was only useful if
you intended to soar in the Denver Class-B airspace.

Some suggested alternatives are Dr Jack's BLIPmaps (well worth the time to
learn and understand and the money to subscribe):

http://www.drjack.info/

Alternatively, you can obtain interactive forecasts Skew-Ts for any location
at the following URL:

http://rucsoundings.noaa.gov/

Rolf Hertenstein's Gliding Mentor Series book "Thermals" provides excellent
information on extracting thermal forecasting information from Skew-T
charts. Note that the above Skew-Ts also have forecast winds aloft present
information on wind shear. Dr Jack's BLIPmaps are generated from the same
base input information as the NOAA forecast Skew-Ts.

I have been working with both this year at several locations in Southern
Colorado and have gotten reliable data and good insights into the day's
soaring weather. Dr Jack's wind information are composites of the wind thru
the boundary layer. The NOAA Skew-Ts give you wind information, both
velocity and direction, from the surface to well above the boundary layer.
They should also be useful to determine if conditions are good for potential
Wave.

John Scott

I've found the FAA soaring forecasts almost worse than useless. With a
little understanding, you can download forecasts 100 times better from
the web.

No great loss to me.

Mike

David Neptune wrote:

...it appears to me that at least in Denver a convenient
service is going to be withdrawn unless our politically-savvy
leaders approach the FSS/FAA and make a formal objection.
Of course we could all simply request a formal briefing and
drive them crazy to make the point, but I'd suggest this is
neither professional nor a sensible way to go.

---


"Sec. 91.103

Preflight action.

Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight,
become familiar with all available information concerning
that flight."

---

Advisory Circular number AC 00-45E
Date: 12/01/1999
Subject: Aviation Weather Services

http://tinyurl.com/pfvdu

FLIGHT SERVICE STATION (FSS)

The FSS...provides more aviation weather briefing service than
any other U.S Government service outlet. The FSS or AFSS provides
preflight and inflight briefings, transcribed weather briefings,
scheduled and unscheduled weather broadcasts, and furnishes weather
support to flights in its area. As a starting point for a preflight
weather briefing, a pilot may wish to listen to one of the recorded
weather briefings provided by an FSS or AFSS. For a more detailed
briefing, pilots can contact the FSS or AFSS directly.

---

Within the DEN FSS area: 1-800-WX-BRIEF.
Outside the DEN FSS area: 1-866-751-7021.

Follow the touch-tone menu for the soaring weather brief. If the
pre-recorded info is not available, follow the menu tree to speak with a
briefer.



Jack

"Sec. 91.103

Preflight action.

Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight,
become familiar with all available information concerning
that flight."


I believe NWS office soaring forecasts have for some time been created
"officially" at the request of FAA for use in FSS briefings. There has
never been a formal requirement coming from FAA (or FSS) other than a
simple memo between local NWS and FSS offices. What I'm trying to say
here is this. NWS cannot unilaterally create specialized forecasts for
a unique group like soaring pilots. It is only the FAA that sets the
requirements for aviation forecasts that NWS delivers. Now... if FAA
decided to include the parameters that we see in soaring forecasts as
necessary to meet FAR 91.103...then NWS (probably the Aviation Weather
Center) could create a suite of soaring forecast products similar to
what Drl Jack has created. Germany and other countries provide such
services (although for a fee).

I don't know how Dr Jack would feel about having the government take
over his domain of service. He has invested an enormous amount of time
and technical skill in putting together a very professional and
complete soaring product service. My NWS soaring forecast product at
the NWS Hanford, CA web site also took a lot of time to create... but
doesn't hold a candle to what Dr Jack created. If the government were
to have created this... it would have used a lot of financial
resources.

As you all know... or should know... powers in Washington are pushing
for user fees in both general and business aviation. If we (SSA) were
to request that the government provide us with a complete soaring
forecast service it would add justification for charging soaring and
other pilots users fees. On the other hand if we support the private
sector (or generous volunteers like Dr Jack) we (the U.S. soaring
community) can probably do a better job of it for less money.

There is one caveat. With the increased interest and use of UAVs
(essentially unmanned gliders), perhaps their is a legitimate need to
forecast soaring parameters (height of convective layer; turbulence
intensity, CU/CB bases, boundary layer winds) for this segment of
aviation. Those forecasts would be in support of the nations security
and a new industry of air commerce. Government provide services might
then be justified.

If you are wondering what my oppinion is on who should create soaring
weather forecasts (government or private sector)... keep wondering

My oppinions are all my own and do not reflect the oppinions and policy
of my employer.

Walt, WX