AFSS response time

"Carl Orton" wrote in message
...
I'll also second what the others say about checking for TFRs. Regardless
of
how much preflight information I get off the computer/DUAT/etc., I always
call AFSS, even on short hops, just so that I have a record of checking on
NOTAMs.

DUATS keeps such a record as well. From the DUATS FAQ: "A DUATS route
briefing contains the same elements as a route briefing which is provided by
an FAA Briefer. The briefing is recorded by DUATS, and your receipt of the
data can be proven, should the need arise... The DUAT service is paid for by
the FAA, and is certified by the FAA as being equivalent to a live Flight
Service Specialist for pre-flight briefings."

--Gary


Carl

john smith wrote:
The impostion of TFR's has been a boon to the AFSS system.
Whereas in the past, pilots used to just do a DUAT's brief, the creation
of the rolling TFR has made the AFSS brief the best protection you can
get. It's recorded so you can replay exactly what you were briefed.


So ask for the TFR's on your DUAT's brief. That's recorded and you have
a hard copy.

Brad Z wrote:
We use Leesburg VA AFSS, and the hold times have been awful. They claim
staffing shortages, but ADIZ doesn't help matters.

Not too long ago I flew into an airport in one of the Virginia valleys.
Could not raise the FSS on the radio to close my flight plan (I was
"buried" in a valley) I had to call Leesburg AFSS on my phone. I waited
20 minutes to get through.

"Teacherjh" wrote in message
...

[it took forever to get a briefer] when I still lived in Florida [...]
Now I live in Virginia and they have the same problem here.
[...] They have made no bones about wanting to reduce
the coast of the FSS system.


Go further inland.

O'OH! Good one!


(sorry, couldn't resist.

Jose

--
(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

Yes, Leesburg is the one I use also. Seems like they have a problem.

By the way, where do you fly? I'm in Charlottesville.


"Brad Z" wrote in message
news:dSmcd.142188$He1.55339@attbi_s01...
We use Leesburg VA AFSS, and the hold times have been awful. They claim
staffing shortages, but ADIZ doesn't help matters.

" wrote in message
ink.net...
Has anyone else noticed that the time you're on hold to talk to a
briefer
is
getting longer and longer? I noticed this about a year ago when I still
lived in Florida and thought it was just a local problem. Now I live in
Virginia and they have the same problem here. It used to be you could
get
a
human on the phone in a minute or so. Now it is taking about 5 to 10.

Is this how the FAA is trying to kill the FSS system? They have made no
bones about wanting to reduce the coast of the FSS system.

Larry Dighera wrote in message . ..
On Sat, 16 Oct 2004 22:56:48 GMT, "
wrote in
. net::

Has anyone else noticed that the time you're on hold to talk to a briefer is
getting longer and longer?

I've noticed that the wait time for a briefer is directly proportional
to the severity of the local weather. On clear days, the wait for a
briefer to answer is about 10 seconds maximum. Poor weather can
increase the wait time to 5 minutes. This is with Hawthorne FSS in
the Los Angeles area.

There's poor weather in LA?

" wrote in message
ink.net...
Yes, Leesburg is the one I use also. Seems like they have a problem.

By the way, where do you fly? I'm in Charlottesville.

Down Interstate 64 in Richmond, doing most of my flying/instructing out of
Chesterfield (FCI).

I thank Gawd I'm not flying under the ADIZ, so most of my weather & flight
plan work can be done using DUATS.

In article ,
Arnold Sten wrote:
"buried" in a valley) I had to call Leesburg AFSS on my phone. I waited
20 minutes to get through.

Couldn't you just leave them a voice message?

--
Ben Jackson

http://www.ben.com/

"Arnold Sten" wrote in message
news
Brad Z wrote:
We use Leesburg VA AFSS, and the hold times have been awful. They claim
staffing shortages, but ADIZ doesn't help matters.

Not too long ago I flew into an airport in one of the Virginia valleys.
Could not raise the FSS on the radio to close my flight plan (I was
"buried" in a valley) I had to call Leesburg AFSS on my phone. I waited 20
minutes to get through.

If you have Internet access (or if someone whom you can phone does), you can
close the flight plan instantly via DUATS.

--Gary

I called this morning around 9:30 and was on hold for 10 minutes and
hung up. I tried again around 10:15 and was on hold for 15 minutes in
which time I pulled up the duats page, registered and got a briefing
before the Leesburg FSS specialist came on. I had a short talk with her
and she explained the administration is trying to privatize the
organization and that seemed interesting that since Bush specifically
said the FAA is a core government function.
They will know January if they still have jobs. People have transferred
and retired, they were not replaced.
Additionally she said they are trying to get an arrangement with Altoona
and Raleigh FSS to take overload, but red tape is stalling that.
She gave me the Managers phone number to call Monday. 703-777-1832
Have fun,
Michelle

wrote:

Has anyone else noticed that the time you're on hold to talk to a briefer is
getting longer and longer? I noticed this about a year ago when I still
lived in Florida and thought it was just a local problem. Now I live in
Virginia and they have the same problem here. It used to be you could get a
human on the phone in a minute or so. Now it is taking about 5 to 10.

Is this how the FAA is trying to kill the FSS system? They have made no
bones about wanting to reduce the coast of the FSS system.






--

Michelle P ATP-ASEL, CP-AMEL, and AMT-A&P

"Elisabeth" a Maule M-7-235B (no two are alike)

Volunteer Pilot, Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic

Volunteer Builder, Habitat for Humanity