Flight Planning Apps Are Replacing Flight Service Stations

Lockheed Martin's Flight Service Stations are still open, but the services for pre-flight briefing and cockpit assistance are dwindling fast. The FSS now pushes for more pilot self-assistance as it is gradually being replaced by digital applications.

Elaine Kauh

Friday, December 04, 2015 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Preflight briefings are legally mandated for IFR flights, covering essential information like weather, fuel, and alternatives, with pilots increasingly relying on online self-briefings and integrated electronic flight bag (EFB) apps.
While "official briefing" designations no longer exist, using logged online services or recorded Flight Service calls provides a verifiable record that a briefing was obtained, which is important for legal proof.
Pilots must conduct thorough and consistent self-briefings, meticulously checking all relevant weather, NOTAMs, and system advisories (e.g., RAIM) both pre-flight and in-flight, as direct Flight Service interaction for updates diminishes.

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Preflight briefings are a must. It’s not only common sense; obtaining basic information related to an IFR flight is required under 14 CFR 91.103, including “weather reports and forecasts, fuel requirements, (and) alternatives available if the planned flight cannot be completed.” This by no means covers everything, and thanks to popular demand (and recent adjustments in the rules), it’s largely up to us to get what we need.

Online self-briefings and in-flight weather have become the primary method for many pilots. With all the electronic resources available, we seldom have to deal with Flight Service directly. If you choose not to, however, you’ll need to keep track of what you’ve read, and what you take with you.