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#1
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who uses FSS?
I get my pre-flight briefings from:
*) weathertap - RadarLab, area outlook, tafs, progs *) ADDS - flightpath tool for AIRMETS & winds aloft along the route *) FlightStar - to tell me how long it'll take, print nice-looking flight plans, plan fuel stops, etc. Then I call flight service and listen to the guy/girl give me this wildly generalized briefing that usually doesn't tell me very much. Last time I was in a flight service station (2000 I think) they were still using IBM CRTs with textual info, so I don't know how they can give anyone a very precise route briefing. So... is FSS just there to a) cover your ass in case of an incident ("pilot called FSS and got a full weather briefing prior to departing into known icing/TFR/hurricane etc.") b) accept flight plans? |
#2
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"McGregor" wrote:
So... is FSS just there to a) cover your ass in case of an incident ("pilot called FSS and got a full weather briefing prior to departing into known icing/TFR/hurricane etc.") b) accept flight plans? I am sure I'm going to get jumped on, but I just don't see FSS as having a key role in flight planning. I'm like McGregor; I self-brief using DUAT. I find this to be faster, more convenient, and more complete that what I could get from FSS on the phone. To be fair, I should point out that I'm on line pretty much all the time. If you have to boot up your computer and dial up to get to DUAT, I can see how it might not be any better than a voice briefing. I'm also pretty good at rdg mtrlogcl gibrsh wth no vwls so I don't have any trouble understanding the printout. I use FSS only under rare situations. Every once in a while there's something that I can't make sense of on DUAT (and the plain-language translator isn't helping), so I'll call up and ask a specific question. On (rare) occassion, I'll be near a phone but not near a computer on the net. On the other hand, I use FSS a lot in the air. On a long flight, with weather that's anything but severe clear, I'll generally call up flight watch as soon as I level out in cruise to get an update. On a really long flight, I might do that several times during the course of the flight. I also use FSS for dictating flight plans to in the air. If I don't have an IFR flight plan on file and I suspect I might need it further up the road, I'll call up FSS and give it to them. I keep a flight plan form laminated to my kneeboard so I can just reel off the information in the right order to the FSS guy. NOTE: if you want to do this, you need to use the discrete FSS frequencies. Flight watch is for weather only, no flight plans. |
#3
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Roy Smith wrote: "McGregor" wrote: So... is FSS just there to a) cover your ass in case of an incident ("pilot called FSS and got a full weather briefing prior to departing into known icing/TFR/hurricane etc.") b) accept flight plans? I am sure I'm going to get jumped on, but I just don't see FSS as having a key role in flight planning. I'm like McGregor; I self-brief using DUAT. I find this to be faster, more convenient, and more complete that what I could get from FSS on the phone. To be fair, I should point out that I'm on line pretty much all the time. If you have to boot up your computer and dial up to get to DUAT, I can see how it might not be any better than a voice briefing. I'm also pretty good at rdg mtrlogcl gibrsh wth no vwls so I don't have any trouble understanding the printout. I use FSS only under rare situations. Every once in a while there's something that I can't make sense of on DUAT (and the plain-language translator isn't helping), so I'll call up and ask a specific question. On (rare) occassion, I'll be near a phone but not near a computer on the net. On the other hand, I use FSS a lot in the air. On a long flight, with weather that's anything but severe clear, I'll generally call up flight watch as soon as I level out in cruise to get an update. On a really long flight, I might do that several times during the course of the flight. I also use FSS for dictating flight plans to in the air. If I don't have an IFR flight plan on file and I suspect I might need it further up the road, I'll call up FSS and give it to them. I keep a flight plan form laminated to my kneeboard so I can just reel off the information in the right order to the FSS guy. NOTE: if you want to do this, you need to use the discrete FSS frequencies. Flight watch is for weather only, no flight plans. Before we had DUAT(S) and all these other extensive weather resources, FSS was pretty much it for G/A. The airlines have always used their own weather departments or at least dispatchers for weather. Like you say, FSS has some good value en route, sort of the poor man's equivalent of airline company frequencies through ARINC. The one essential role, though of the FSS, is when it is the only RCO on a non-towered, IFR airport (example, KBIH). Center often hands you off to the FSS for IFR ATC relay purposes well before you begin the approach. Likewise, on IFR departure, you're with the FSS for quite a time at some of these airports. |
#4
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#5
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Roy Smith wrote: wrote: The one essential role, though of the FSS, is when it is the only RCO on a non-towered, IFR airport (example, KBIH). Center often hands you off to the FSS for IFR ATC relay purposes well before you begin the approach. Likewise, on IFR departure, you're with the FSS for quite a time at some of these airports. I never saw the point of these FSS RCOs. From a technology point of view, once you've got the automated radio gear on the field, it's just as easy to run a land-line circuit direct to ATC as it is to run it to FSS. The FSS can provide services for VFR flight plans and weather. In a remote area where only the center were linked to the RCO the center controller would end up with that burden. Plus, if radar coverage is nonexistant until in the low flight levels, such as at KBIH, the relay works and frees up the center controller working traffic from having to work the non-radar arrivals and departures directly. |
#6
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wrote in message ... Plus, if radar coverage is nonexistant until in the low flight levels, such as at KBIH, the relay works and frees up the center controller working traffic from having to work the non-radar arrivals and departures directly. Frees up the controller? Clearances and instructions relayed through FSS are an additional burden on the controller. He has to talk to FSS on the phone while other aircraft are calling on the radio. |
#7
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You dont' even need them to cya, as long as you get a briefing through Duats
(which is built-in to flitestar). "McGregor" wrote in message link.net... I get my pre-flight briefings from: *) weathertap - RadarLab, area outlook, tafs, progs *) ADDS - flightpath tool for AIRMETS & winds aloft along the route *) FlightStar - to tell me how long it'll take, print nice-looking flight plans, plan fuel stops, etc. Then I call flight service and listen to the guy/girl give me this wildly generalized briefing that usually doesn't tell me very much. Last time I was in a flight service station (2000 I think) they were still using IBM CRTs with textual info, so I don't know how they can give anyone a very precise route briefing. So... is FSS just there to a) cover your ass in case of an incident ("pilot called FSS and got a full weather briefing prior to departing into known icing/TFR/hurricane etc.") b) accept flight plans? |
#8
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jfee wrote:
You dont' even need them to cya, as long as you get a briefing through Duats (which is built-in to flitestar). Can you get reasonable TFR data from Flightstar? Regular duats is completely worthless for TFRs in my opinion. I agree with the folks that supplement their computer briefings with FSS. That seems like the smart way to go and that's what I do for any flight out of the local area. And unless you carry a laptop everywhere, FSS may be your only option when away from home. |
#9
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#10
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I use them before every flight. I find a 5-7 minute phone call (including
filing IFR) faster than using the net. If there is significant weather enroute I'll get on line to complete the picture. My only problem is the hold time before I get to talk to a briefer. Michael "McGregor" wrote in message link.net... Then I call flight service and listen to the guy/girl give me this wildly generalized briefing that usually doesn't tell me very much. |
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