Every pilot who stays reasonably up to date with the march of aviation technology knows that today even pilots of piston singles and light twins can get aviation weather in the cockpit. For those pilots who fly their airplanes for transportation, this is nothing short of a safety revolution. Instead of guessing and hoping and sweating, we can now fly with a high degree of confidence that we’ll be able to avoid severe weather. This information also allows us to make better strategic in-flight decisions, including modifying routing, altitudes and diversions. Say you’re 250 miles out. How’s the weather at the destination? Instead of waiting until you’re almost in the pattern, check out the conditions at the destination, and if it’s too low, make a new plan before you find yourself in the middle of some crud you’d wish you’d never gotten close to.
Getting weather information is huge, but datalink can also give pilots updates on airspace changes, most notably areas of temporary flight restrictions (TFRs). This is a big deal, especially for VFR pilots who, even if they’re getting flight following, have no guarantee of staying clear of restricted airspace. If a TFR pops up suddenly, or if its limits grow, say when the President stops by his ranch in Crawford or Camp David, as soon as the receiver gets the updated data, the TFR will show up on the map. It’s great peace of mind.
