How to Obtain a Good Weather Briefing
1
Introduction
Here are some tips on how to get a good weather briefing. This document complements other pilot educational
material published by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other aviation organizations.
Just like everything else in life, practice makes perfect, or nearly so. If you practice getting a weather briefing
on a regular basis, then after just a few sessions you will be like an old pro and will know how to get a quality
weather briefing.
Note: The use of the generic terms “Flight Service” and “Flight Service Station (FSS)” in this document should be understood
to include both Automated Flight Service Stations and nonconsolidated Flight Service Stations. Flight Service should not be
confused with “Flight Watch,” which is the call sign for En Route Flight Advisory Service (EFAS).
Anatomy of a Good Weather Brieng
A good weather briefing begins with developing a total awareness of the overall big picture before obtaining a
detailed or standard briefing. Many pilots start by monitoring weather patterns through commercial television,
such as The Weather Channel, several days before the flight. The day or evening before the flight, pilots may
wish to obtain an outlook briefing from Flight Service or electronically from a Direct User Access Terminal
(DUAT) vendor, or they may choose to download weather and forecast charts from the Internet. (When using
DUATs, don’t hesitate to contact Flight Service to clarify any information you do not fully understand.) As close
to departure time as possible, call Flight Service or log on to DUAT for a standard briefing. (Of course, you can
also access high-quality weather products on the Internet or via other sources, but first make sure that the menu
of products is suitable for aviation use and the products are current.) If you obtain a standard briefing several
hours before the flight or when the weather is questionable, it is a good practice to call an FSS for an abbreviated
briefing just before takeoff.
The FAA has established a universal toll-free telephone number for FSSs: 1–800–WX–BRIEF (1–800–992–7433).
Before contacting Flight Service, you should have the general route of flight worked out. When you reach Flight
Service, you will first hear a recorded announcement, followed by instructions. The system will provide a voice
selection to the following options: Briefer or Telephone Information Briefing Service (TIBS) or for Special
Announcements. If you say “Briefer” or “TIBS,” you will be prompted to speak the State you are calling from
and, in some cases, a more specific area. (Example: if you say “Florida,” you will then asked if you want Northern
Florida or Southern Florida. If you then say “Northern Florida,” you will hear “please wait while I connect you to
a briefer.”)
To help the briefer provide you with the best service, state your request (that is, a standard, abbreviated, or out-
look briefing or to file a flight plan). Provide the briefer with the following background information so that your
briefing can be tailored to your needs:
• Your qualifications (for example, if you are a student, private, or commercial pilot and if you are instrument
rated).
• Type of flight planned—visual flight rules (VFR) or instrument flight rules (IFR).
• Aircraft N-number or pilot's name.
• Aircraft type.
• Departure point.
• Estimated time of departure.