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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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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? |
#5
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#6
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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. |
#7
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I thought Mitre was working to answer this very question....
If you want to fly into or out of the DC ADIZ, you have to talk to flight service. DUATS CANNOT be used to file any flight plan (IFR/VFR) in or out of the ADIZ. Frankly, I like the discussion to validate what I think I know about the weather, and then I ask for a complete list of TFRs and/or any new TFRs for the route(s) of flight one last time. "McGregor" wrote in message link.net... 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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You haven't been into a modern automated FSS like the one on Boeing Field.
More weather graphics than you can shake a stick at. The only text-based thing I have seen is the template for accepting flight plans filed by phone or radio. Bob Gardner "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? |
#9
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I agree with you, Michael. It's much faster to phone FSS compared to Duats.
I usually do it on my cell while driving to the airport, so zero time added. I usually check Intellicast Nexrad on the computer before I call to get the big picture. "Michael 182" wrote in message . net... 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. |
#10
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In article .net,
"McGregor" wrote: [snip] 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 use the FSS for standard briefs and to file. I prefer dealing with people. I usually familarize myself with the weather via on-line sources, but I still get the standard brief. It doesn't take long, especially using a cellphone. And getting the briefing right after I've preflighted my aircraft means the information is as current as possible. -- Bob Noel |
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