There's a lot to what you say. I virtually always use Duats. However ..
I've found on long XC's I do just what you're saying and call FSS
while I have the info in front of me and get their take on what's going
to happen. I find it valuable when away from home base.



"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Ron Natalie wrote:

wrote:



Maybe, but the Class II notams are available to anybody doing a DUATS
briefing, for free and more current (and again, no updating pages)

They lose the pictures for the few that contain them.

And if you use a FSS there's no guarantee you'll get them.

Sounds like yet another a good reason to prefer self-briefing with DUATS
over FSS.

I suspect this is going to be an unpopular opinion, but...

The idea that my tax dollars are going to pay for somebody to read a
computer printout to a pilot when he could read it himself just as
easily is absurd. Or for that matter, to play data entry clerk with
flight plans.

Yes, this service is essential for in-flight needs, or for those times
when there's no duats access available (pretty rare these days). But
I've watched pilots sit down in front of the computer in the pilot
lounge and pick up the phone to call 1-800-WX-BRIEF. It just doesn't
make sense. Especially since you can get plain-english if you don't
want to read the coded version.