"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...

So, what's the definition of "reported"? Why does the accredited observer
on the ground telling me on the radio "measured visibility is 2 miles" not
count as a report? And if ATC needs to know it, why is my telling the
controller that I got the weather from an accredited observer on the
ground not good enough?

I can certainly see the need for the observer to be accredited (they have
training in how visibility is determined), and I can see the need for the
observer to be on the ground (what I see from up here in the air may not
be
what's going on down there on the ground), but I don't see why the pilot
may not be part of the communications chain.

I have received ATC communication via pilot relays when out of radio
contact, and served as a relay for other aircraft when they had the same
problem. Why is it OK for me to relay "ATC wants you to switch to
129.05", but not "my observer reports 2 mile visibility"?


You created an impossible situation in your example. If your FBO has a
certified weather observer on staff it's because he's at a certified weather
observing station. If it is a certified weather observing station then the
certified weather observations taken by the certified weather observers on
your FBO's staff are available to ATC and thus there is no need for you to
relay the observation to the controller. If it's not a certified weather
observing station then at best your FBO has a former certified weather
observer on his staff.