Looking out the window of an FBO does not constitute a weather briefing. [Courtesy: Meg Godlewski]
Key Takeaways:
The FAA does not define a "legal" weather briefing or prefer specific sources; pilots are responsible for using any source that meets FAR 91.103 preflight planning requirements.
While not legally mandated, services that create a documented record of a weather briefing (e.g., 1800WXBRIEF, ForeFlight) are often recommended by flight instructors and schools as proof for potential NTSB investigations.
A comprehensive preflight weather briefing must include at least TAFs, METARs, winds aloft, and NOTAMs, as ATIS/ASOS/AWOS or visual observations are not sufficient.
Question: Is there such a thing as an official source for a weather briefing?
I have been using 1800WXBRIEF.com and Aviation Weather Center for years since they don’t require a paid subscription. But according to the CFIs at the school I just started flying with, these are not considered legal weather briefings.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
