Obtaining Weather Information

What is the primary means of obtaining a weather briefing?

The primary means of obtaining a weather briefing is by contacting a Flight Service Station (FSS), either by phone (1-800-WX-BRIEF) or Online. The FAA provides the Flight Service program through FSS’s government and contract.

What types of weather briefs can you get?

• Standard briefing: Used when you’re planning a flight and have not received prior weather information (~6 hours in advance).

• Abbreviated briefing: Used when you need updated weather information from your standard briefing.

• Outlook briefing: Used when planning a flight more than 6 hours in advance. Provides forecast trends and potential weather development.

You're planning a cross-county flight. Does the weather data provided by commercial and/or third party vendors satisfy the preflight action required by 14 CFR 91.103?

Pilots and operators should be aware that weather services provided by entities other than FAA, NWS or their contractors might not meet FAA/NWS quality control standards.,

What is HIWAS?

Hazardous In-flight Weather Advisory Service (HIWAS) is a continuous broadcast of in-flight weather advisories including summarized Aviation Weather Warnings, SIGMETs, Convective SIGMETs, Center Weather Advisories, AIRMETs, and urgent PIREPs. HIWAS is an additional source of hazardous weather information which makes this data available on a continuous basis.

What is a "flight information service - broadcast" (FIS-B)?

FIS-B (Flight Information Services–Broadcast) is a free, in-flight data service provided through the ADS-B system. It allows pilots with ADS-B In equipment to receive weather and aeronautical information directly in the cockpit. This includes METARs, TAFs, NEXRAD radar imagery, AIRMETs, SIGMETs, PIREPs, TFRs, and NOTAMs.

Can onboard datalink weather (FIS-B) be useful in navigating an aircraft safely around an area of thunderstorms?

Weather data linked from a ground weather surveillance radar system is not real-time information; it displays recent rather than current conditions. This data is typically updated every 5 minutes, but can be as much as 15 minutes old by the time it displays in the cockpit.

While en route, how can a pilot obtain updated weather information?

• On a Flight Service Station (FSS) frequency

• Use ATIS (Automated Terminal Information System)

• Use AWOS (Automated Weather Observing System)

• Use ASOS (Automated Surface Observing System)

• Get FIS-B weather through ADSB-in (Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast System)