DakotaHawk

DakotaHawk

Well Known Member
I have to admit that my flying for the past seven years has been pretty laid back. My "old" plane flew low and slow, and I really never strayed more that about 50 miles from home. I had a few airports that I would visit, get out and say Hi to a couple of buddies, and then fly back to my home airport.

I rarely called for a weather brief or Notams.

Suddenly, I realize that my "new" RV-7 can go hundreds of miles and visit a vast number of new airports in a single leap! Just think of all of the bad weather that I could get stuck in!:eek: The Notams for closed runways that I could miss!!:( The TFR's that I could violate!!!:eek:

So here's the question...

What do you guys/gals use for your preflight awareness check? I guess this could be broken down into ...
  1. Sitting in front of your computer with internet access
  2. got a cell phone with internet access
  3. got a phone and can make a call
 
Weathermeister.com in front of a computer or on the data cell phone. Almost exclusively.
 
Computer when available and always call

I usually put "aviation weather" in the Google window then open the government aviation weather center website from there and look at everything I need to get a good idea of the weather and plan the flight according to the best route and best weather. I usually start checking this several days ahead of big trips and modify the plan as dictated by changing weather. An hour or so before the flight I call 1-800-WXBRIEF (AKA as VFR Flight Not Recommended), get a full weather briefing and ask for NOTAMS/TFRs that affect my planned flight.

After takeoff primarily I look out the window to see if there are changes from the briefing & computer images and I call FSS if conditions indicate that is a good thing to do. In about 30 years of operating this way I have never had a major surprise that couldn't circumnavigate and no TFR violations.

Just get all the info you can and have an escape planed if things get bad.

Bob Axsom
 
TFR's show up on my Garmin 696 with XM weather. There has been some unusual ones, such as "gas releases". Notams such as the airport being closed for an airshow, or temporary tower in place also show up. I have yet to notice Notams for closed runways, and such. I use Weather Underground for pre-flight checks at home. XM weather is great while airborne. Edit. I also use the AOPA flight planner that puts the weather onto the map. I pre-plan some flights, then update them before leaving.

L.Adamson --- RV6A
 
navmonster.com

I like the navmonster.com site, although it's not an "official" briefing source. Covers weather, TFRs, etc, and no fees for the basic info:

http://www.navmonster.com/

I also sometimes use the AOPA flight planning software to get DUATS briefing.
 
I prefer www.weathermeister.com over all others. You can get the same information for free elsewhere but not in a format that is anywhere close to being as useable. I know all of the info is on Duats for instance, but heck if I can find and digest it. Weathermeister has it hands down for me. The information is there and it's easy to see.

Disclaimer: I am NOT affiliated with weathermeister.com in any way shape or form.
 
For a nice check of all the local present conditions, I'll check Runwayfinder.com, then drill into anything that looks interesting before I leave home. If I'm out at the airport, I'll do a quick update from weathermeister.com, and that seems to work well for the local flights.
 
iPhone versions of:
weathermeister(Dan, great upgrade, this guarantees my renewal)
NavMonster.com/mobile
i.Wund.com
 
Last time I did a really big trip, I had been studying the weather for at least a few days, and had weathermeister open as I called flight service, just to humor my conscience. After the 20min. conversation, right before trying to get out the door for departure, some of the time reading along with what I saw to the briefer what his "computer was being slow about", I concluded that that was a waste of time... We have at least equal, if not, more comprehensive information if you really know how to acquire and consume it.

Build in the time for the telephone conversation if you want to be disappointed these days, is what I've found. I only have one or two grey hairs forming if that makes a difference, which sometimes it does.
 
At home on the desktop, I go to a couple of free sites: AvnWx.com which will overlay animated WX and allow checking of conditions at reporting airports. I like Navmonster.com to give me all the airports enroute and FltPln.com as just another "free" option.

I really think Weathermeister is the best, but for some reason haven't yet signed up. :rolleyes:

I still call 1-800-WXBRIEF, even though they often don't "know" as much as I do at the time I call. I do this just to have a record that I called (since the conversations are recorded) in case there's an insurance issue (I rent a Cherokee) and to file my flight plan. I usually activate said FP right after takeoff via radio to the FSS/Center.
 
I just called WXbrief..for an 85 mile trip...

.....on Christmas day. What a waste of time....freezing levels at FL 230...blah, blah.

Weathermeister and I can figure it out much clearer and faster.

Best,
 
DakotaHawk said:
snip....
What do you guys/gals use for your preflight awareness check? I guess this could be broken down into ...
  1. Sitting in front of your computer with internet access
  2. got a cell phone with internet access
  3. got a phone and can make a call
...snip
Click to expand...


For computer and phone acces I use these two FREE links almost exclusively:
  1. http://www.vansairforce.net/weather.htm
    ................(maps/TAF/Metars)
  2. http://www.navmonster.com/wx/KAFW
    .................(Big plus: use winds aloft feature when going on trip)

Here's a simulated winds aloft grid on a planned trip from my home field to San Antonio, for example. I use this free Navmonster freature all the time (looks like 3,000' is the way to go on this leg - just a quick glance at the far right column to find the shortest time):

256y1x4.jpg
 
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Weathermeister NOW

I used to use Navmonster most of the time. I had tried Weathermeister and liked it but Navmonster is free.

After a recent incident where I feared I might get a violation or lose my license, partly due to Navmonster not having a NOTAM that was relevent to my route of flight I am a solid convert to Weathmeister, that not only had the NOTAM but highlighted it in a way so as to make it difficult to miss. The thread

Navmonster probably has this bug fixed now but after the sleep I lost worrying about my conversation with Albuquerque Center and "counseling" with the local FSDO I am a Weathermeister guy.

By the way my troubles seem to be over now. It seems the problem was mostly who I annoyed by legally making one pass over an uncharted airport.
 
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Weathertap for me. I love it! And it's a QICP provider - meaning it's authorized as an online pre-flight briefing.

http://www.weathertap.com

But I do still call for a formal brief for cross reference if there is any question about the weather.
 
Thanks for all the responses!

I've spent the weekend surfing through most of the sources and sites that have been recommended. Seems that weathermeister and navmonster are at the top of the list, and pretty comparable, with weathermeister edging out navmonster on the presentation of information.

I like the visually obvious format - green is good and red is not good.

My iPhone was able to move around the various pages quickly to garner the same information that is included in a single page on the PC connection. Of course, this was using a WiFi connection - I'll have to give it a try out at the hangar to see how quickly everything loads using the wireless network.
 
I created a folder on my Firefox bookmark toolbar called 'Flight Planning'. In it are, RunwayFinder, Navmonster, ADDS, DUAT, and Weather Underground. I just select 'Open All in Tabs' from the context menu and, viola, all my sources are on the browser and ready to use.
 
If you are an AOPA member try:

www.aopa.org/wx/

It is very fast and easy. Opens up to a nationwide radar map that you can zoom in to. One click prog and synoptic charts and metar/taf line on the front page. Just type in the identifier and it show up on the same page. If you zoom in on the radar map you can click on your location and the current metar shows.
Another is Airnav.com. Click on the sectional chart for the airport you want and it opens up. The just run your cursor around the map to show current metars for airports on that map.
FLTPLAN.com is great for flight planning/weather/notams/APIS, and everything else - and it's free like the rest of these (except for AOPA membership).

Scott
 
very nice ........

MacNab said:
I created a folder on my Firefox bookmark toolbar called 'Flight Planning'. In it are, RunwayFinder, Navmonster, ADDS, DUAT, and Weather Underground. I just select 'Open All in Tabs' from the context menu and, viola, all my sources are on the browser and ready to use.
Click to expand...

is that with a mac. ill try it. thanks.
 
I use Linux on my laptop and Winblows on my desktop. The Firefox browser works the same on both OS's. I imagine Firefox also works the same on an Apple.
 
One more to save in the bookmark file

Along with the previous mentioned sites I use this one too:

Golden Eagle FlightPrep

http://www.flightprep.com/rootpage.php?page=infogoldeneagle

It's a free service and it gives you quite a bit of info. It will auto route a trip using Low Air Way routing, GPS direct, or a route you specify. The route of flight is displayed on a map with the weather (you can turn the weather overlay on or off). You also get a vertical profile with terrain, MEA's and Airspace and a trip kit with time/distance/fuel calculations as well as frequencies and headings. All of this is calculated using the winds aloft Data from Duats and performance data that you can store in individual aircraft profiles. You can elect to get a "legal" DUATS briefing and file a flight plan there as well.

On my last 3 cross country flights it has calculated the block to block time within 10 mins of the actual times and the fuel burn within 3.5 gallons (erring on the conservative side, but that's because I set my fuel burn high side just to be safe).

I'm in no way associated with these guys. I actually found out about this site on this forum a few years ago, just giving back to the community. :D
 
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