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Weathermeister VAF Special

dan

Well Known Member
FREE stuff for VAF forum users[/B!

Between now and November 1, 2009, Weathermeister is extending the normal 2-week free trial to 2 months for RV builders on VAF Forums. If you haven't tried Weathermeister before, definitely give it a try. We've added lots of new features recently to make getting a pre-flight weather briefing easy (and actually enjoyable)!

The extended trial applies only to folks here on VAF Forums...use this link to sign up:

http://www.weathermeister.com/vaf

Hope you find it useful. If you run into trouble just let [email protected] know.
 
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This is totally relevant and an awesome offer. We've been using it for a couple of years and can't imagine going back to the stone ages. The new features are great. Clearly Dan has been working hard recently. I'm "working the weather" with weathermeister right now to launch for LOE this morning as soon as the tail of a huge line of storms pass the airfield. I'll even use it to file my IFR flight plan. 11 thumbs up. 12 if it will flow my airplane colors from the profile into the flight plan to file :). edit: Indeed, another new feature, aircraft profile colors now inserted into flight plans. Thanks Dan.
 
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Shameless plug for weathermeister - great stuff.

Dan, thanks for the change to hide NOTAMs at other fields on the mobile version (yes, if you use a browser on a blackberry or the like, you get a stripped-down, easy to use textual version). I used to get about 10% weather and 90% notams for DAL and DFW (wow, do those airports generate a lot of IFR approach-related NOTAMS). Now it's 100% weather.

This is one of the reasons I like the service - it's simple, it works, and Dan keeps improving it. And he flies an RV :)

TODR
 
Weathermeister

I use it almost daily! It's wonderful, especially when flying thru boondocks airports with few flight planning and weather resources! I keep several routes set up 'just in case.'

I wholeheartedly endorse it!

p.s. Good to hear from you Dan! You have many grateful fans who have been missing you.
 
iPhone Version

Dan-

Do you have, or are you planning a native iPhone App? I would add that to my current subscription.

Love the website. Easy to use. Clear information. I really like the new highlighted circles on the sectional for TFRs. It was easy to spot all the temporary fire restrictions for the recent SoCal wild fires. Thanks!
 
Dan. Looks like something I might be interested in so I went to your website. I can't seem to find any information on the different packages or subscription costs. Am I just not seeing it or do I have to sign up first to find out how much its going to cost me?

Moderators...please delete this post if you feel it's not appropriate. This is FREE stuff for VAF forum users, though!

Between now and November 1, 2009, Weathermeister is extending the normal 2-week free trial to 2 months for RV builders on VAF Forums. If you haven't tried Weathermeister before, definitely give it a try. We've added lots of new features recently to make getting a pre-flight weather briefing easy (and actually enjoyable)!

The extended trial applies only to folks here on VAF Forums...use this link to sign up:

http://www.weathermeister.com/vaf

Hope you find it useful. If you run into trouble just let [email protected] know.
 
Do you have, or are you planning a native iPhone App? I would add that to my current subscription.

To be totally honest, I'm an iPhone diehard myself but I'm not currently putting the resources into a native iPhone app for Weathermeister. With such a small team, our development resources are very limited, and the list of features we plan to roll out in the next several months is too long as it is. :) Gotta hit the mainstream user demands out of the park before focussing on a niche.

In the meantime, on your iPhone/iTouch you can use the mobile edition: http://weathermeister.com/mobile, or if you're on wi-fi the regular site should work fairly well.
 
I can't seem to find any information on the different packages or subscription costs. Am I just not seeing it or do I have to sign up first to find out how much its going to cost me?

Good point! For special programs like this we don't even show pricing up front. Here's a link to the pricing plans and some details on what each of them includes:

https://www.weathermeister.com/pricing.jsp

That info is also at the end of the "About" page.
 
Cliff Notes Features/Benefits Summary?

Anybody care to post a "Cliff Notes Summary" of the features and benefits of Weathermeister? I am not flying yet (and my 182 sold so no wings right now). However, when the time comes, I might be more interested. What's it DO?
 
Anybody care to post a "Cliff Notes Summary" of the features and benefits of Weathermeister? I am not flying yet (and my 182 sold so no wings right now). However, when the time comes, I might be more interested. What's it DO?

Short version: Weathermeister is DUATS for regular people. It's a briefing that can easily be interpreted.

Longer version:

Just about everything is color-coded, decoded. Really easy to see, at a quick glance, if there are any hazards in your area or along your route of flight.

Graphical products are included inline in your briefing, so you don't have to go clicking around to lots of different sites to get everything you want.

The "Flight Optimizer" tells you exactly which altitude will be fastest -- or most economical -- to fly a given route. (NOTE: this requires that you enter an aircraft performance profile, which only takes a minute...and only needs to be done once.)

TFR monitoring. Weathermeister alerts you automatically by email any time a TFR is activated and/or deactivated near your home base, areas, or routes (all configurable).

You get complete customization of your profile, preferences, etc. Make your own custom briefing layouts (i.e. what you want to see, in the order in which you want to see it). One-click briefings for your home base. Routes & areas can be stored for easy reference next time.

That's just for starters...try the trial and poke around. There's no obligation or catch.

http://www.weathermeister.com/vaf
 
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Hey Dan,

Is there any plan to get a formal record of a briefing stored onto the Duat server? In other words, can Weathermeister run a script that pulls a duplicate/similar DUAT briefing so that the feds have a legal record that a briefing was pulled?

Great job on this tool!
 
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Is there any plan to get a formal record of a briefing stored onto the Duat server? In other words, can Weathermeister run a script that pulls a duplicate/similar DUAT breifing so that the feds have a legal record that a briefing was pulled?

Good question, and it's becoming a common request. The DUATS logged briefing thing is a little sketchy ethically in my opinion. Yeah, we could do it, and while I think Weathermeister kicks the pants off what DUATS provides, I don't want to encourage pilots to be irresponsible.

Still putting some thought into this before pulling the trigger. As much as I would love for Weathermeister to be considered FAA-approved, I think legit is the only way to approach it...best for all involved.
 
Hey Dan,

Is there any plan to get a formal record of a briefing stored onto the Duat server? In other words, can Weathermeister run a script that pulls a duplicate/similar DUAT breifing so that the feds have a legal record that a briefing was pulled?

Great job on this tool!

Brian,

Unless you are a certified operation under Part 19, AIM Chapter 7 says you are encouraged to use one of the official aviation weather products.

That being the case, I use Dan's service, which is every bit as comprehensive and uses the same source weather products, as my briefing tool. And if the flight is long and I have time, I print a copy of it including notams and carry it along on the trip. We are not mandated to leave a marker with one of the official product sites.
 
Yeah,

I know, but it would make the family feel better if I bit the dust and the accident report did not say "The pilot did not obtain an official weather report/briefing" :p

This tool is awesome and does kick the pants off of the DUAT c r a p!

Brian,

Unless you are a certified operation under Part 19, AIM Chapter 7 says you are encouraged to use one of the official aviation weather products.

That being the case, I use Dan's service, which is every bit as comprehensive and uses the same source weather products, as my briefing tool. And if the flight is long and I have time, I print a copy of it including notams and carry it along on the trip. We are not mandated to leave a marker with one of the official product sites.
 
New feature that I found very cool. Today, for the first time, clicked on the altitude of the route summary segment of a route briefing. Poof, a one page printable nav log for the knee board. Thanks.
 
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I've said great things about Weathermeister before, and it just keeps getting better! Having just returned from a 3,000 mile trip covering eight days and every conceivable type of weather, i can say that without tools like WM, this RV travel thing would be a lot spookier. Weathermeister on the ground, XM Weather in the air - an unbeatable pair!

Oh, customer service with WM is outstanding as well. A couple of weeks ago I found a little bug, sent a note to their email, and Dan answered the note and pushed a patch out within a few hours.

Give it a try, but be warned - you're gonna feel lost without it once you've tried it! ;)

Paul
 
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