From a weather perspective, you can skip the call to Leidos and roll your own “weather” briefing and remain perfectly legal, but there are caveats. [Credit: Pia Bergqvist/File photo]
Key Takeaways:
FAR 91.103 requires pilots to gather all available preflight information, but it does not specifically mandate contacting Flight Service (LMFS/Leidos) for a briefing.
While not legally required, calling Flight Service is recommended by advisory documents (AIM, ACs) and is an effective way to fulfill preflight information requirements, offering a strong defense in case of incidents.
Pilots can use alternative methods like Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) apps for briefings; however, they must ensure the information obtained is comprehensive and of high quality to fully comply with preflight action regulations.
Question: Am I required to call flight service to get a briefing before I depart?
Answer: The short answer is no. The regulations do not specifically state that you must call Lockheed Martin Flight Service (LMFS) (e.g., 800-WX-BRIEF) to get a briefing. FAR 91.103 (a) simply states, in part:
91.103 Preflight action.
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Scott resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, and flies regularly throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast U.S. He is a CFI and former NWS meteorologist. Scott is the author of "The Skew-T log (p) and Me: A Primer for Pilots" and the founder of EZWxBrief.
