Self-Brief the Weather

But a standard brief alone does not satisfy 91.103. If IFR or flying outside the airport vicinity, we are expected to also know fuel requirements, alternates if the planned flight cannot be completed, and any traffic delays advised by ATC. We must know the runway lengths, including takeoff and landing distance data if an Airplane Flight Manual exists. Else, we are told to make do using other reliable information appropriate to the aircraft including aircraft performance.

Key Takeaways:

• Pilots now predominantly self-brief, yet many lack thoroughness, necessitating the FAA's emphasis on obtaining "all available information" as required by Part 91.103, which extends beyond basic weather to include fuel, alternates, and aircraft performance.
• An effective self-briefing strategy involves a structured approach, starting with the big-picture weather (lows, fronts, upper-air) and progressively detailing conditions specific to the flight route.
• Comprehensive self-briefing relies on utilizing resources like 1800WxBrief.com (for detailed briefing elements and NOTAMs) and AviationWeather.gov (for graphical forecasts and discussions), while understanding various weather report types and notations.
• Pilots should save or print their briefings for record-keeping, as this serves as proof of compliance with preflight information gathering requirements.

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