TFRs and FSS briefers

Okay, all this nonsense about preflight briefers not knowing about
TFRs -- well, it's not nonsense! I thought everybody on this group was
just being, well, you know, "piloty," and complaining about how the
FAA is lame.

But I learned this weekend that it's true. I was taking a friend up
for a Bay Tour from Palo Alto, up to the Golden Gate, and I decided
that it might be prudent to get a briefing, just in case.

First off, I called for an abbreviated briefing, for a local VFR
flight originating from Palo Alto. I also specifically asked for
relevant notams and any TFR activity.

Ding! First mistake. This puts our hapless briefer in a bad mood.
Apparently, she could not read me the weather without having a
destination. I said, how about Palo Alto as a destination. She said,
"but that's where you're originating." "I know." "Well, I can't put
that."

Okay, I know this game. "Put SFO."

After that comes the a briefing that was literally an out-loud reading
of what was on the briefer's computer screen. And it took a looooong
time. It was not abbreviated in any way.

Finally, she gets to the notams and, indeed she has a TFR to tell me
about: before and after (by some time I forgot) games and "gatherings"
at Candlestick Park. Now, see this is useful information, as a Bay
Tour takes you very close to Candlestick. Alas, I ask, naively, "so,
is that TFR active right now?" "what do you mean?" "Is there an event
at Candlestick?" "I don't know." "Do you know how I might find out?"
"Not really."

Oy.

I make alternate plans to fly my friend somewhere else scenic, but
while I'm taxiing to the runup area, I casually tell the Palo Alto
ground controller that I was warned of a potential TFR at 3com (urgh)
park and did he know anything, as I was hoping for a Bay Tour. He
kindly calls the contoller at San Carlos (who normally coordinates
these) and that guy says something along the lines of "no, I don't
know, probably not, I've been handling bay tours all day, no problem,
no worries, go for it."

So I go for it, and we have a nice flight, no problems.

Then I come in and read AvWeb yesterday and I read what is practically
the very same story: http://tinyurl.com/6gacq

This is real, and though my story was no big deal, but it is kind of
creepy that the FAA cannot get its act together about this sort of
thing!

Just thought I'd share!

-- dave j
-- jacobowitz73 --at-- yahoo --dot-- com

PS -- I've heard tell that you can be legally _cleared_ through a
stadium TFR. It just so happens that the "Bay Tour" is a transition
through SFO Bravo space, so I was on a clearance in that area. So
maybe all of this didn't matter at all. Where would I find this kind
of thing out for sure?