The Weather Savvy Pilot in 2009 Presented by Scott C. Dennstaedt A proud product of Chesapeake Aviation Training (803)

Owner of Chesapeake Aviation Training Headquartered in Fort Mill, South Carolina Former NWS research meteorologist Nationwide FAA-certificated instrument flight instructor Specialize in aviation weather training Technically advanced aircraft Contributing editor for IFR magazine Writer for Plane & Pilot, Pilot Journal, Aviation Consumer and Twin & Turbine 8/6/2015 Scott C. Dennstaedt

§ Preflight action. Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become familiar with all available information concerning that flight. This information must include - (a) For a flight under IFR or a flight not in the vicinity of an airport, weather reports and forecasts 8/6/2015

GA pilots have many preflight resources NWS (ended) Flight Service Station (FSS) By phone WXBRIEF In person DUATS (via the Internet) DTC (duat.com) CSC (duats.com) Internet weather brief Self briefing May include DUATS and/or FSS 8/6/2015 The RDU Flight Service Station

Flight Service is still rather busy An average of 50,000 to 60,000 calls are handled each week by FSS 8/6/2015

Is a FSS briefing enough? A standard briefing includes A standard briefing includes Synoptic overview (mainly at the surface) Synoptic overview (mainly at the surface) Radar and satellite overview Radar and satellite overview METARs METARs Area Forecast (FA) Area Forecast (FA) TAFs TAFs AIRMETs, SIGMETs and convective SIGMETs AIRMETs, SIGMETs and convective SIGMETs Winds and temperatures aloft (FB Winds) Winds and temperatures aloft (FB Winds) PIREPs PIREPs NOTAMs NOTAMs 8/6/2015 Aviation Weather Center

8/6/2015 NTSB study done using 4,159 accidents from 1994 through 2003

8/6/2015 NTSB study done using 4,159 accidents from 1994 through 2003  There are still many weather related accidents attributed to pilots who have done a briefing with a Flight Service Station specialist.  Nearly 50% of these accidents are wind related (crosswinds/gusts).

Some pilots are using the Internet Online subscription-based websites WeatherTAP Flight planning software Jeppesen Flitestar Private collection of miscellaneous sites Not necessarily specific to aviation Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS) Combination of the above 8/6/2015

 ADDS “adds” a graphical element to the briefing and provides many supplemental products (like GTG, CIP, FIP, etc.).  A FSS or DUATS briefing is primarily text-based.  ADDS provides all of the same text- based data that encompasses a standard briefing  ADDS still doesn’t provide “all” of the available (and relevant) information – aside from NOTAMs.

Some pilots are going beyond the basics Internet is full of relevant supplemental data MOS Model-based forecasts Simulated reflectivity Thermodynamic diagrams Non-standard convective indices QPF High resolution graphics Satellite 8/6/2015 Simulated reflectivity

Internet Wx Brief Roadmap Subscription-based Collection of key NWS/NOAA websites used as an organized checklist Start at the top and work toward the bottom Links directly to the chart Organized by departure date/time Within 12 hours Within 24 hours Between 1 and 3 days Three days and longer Also a teaching tool 8/6/2015

Scott Dennstaedt, CFI Fort Mill, SC KEQY/KUZA (day and evening) 8/6/2015