Lockheed FSS opinions

: 'Tis my impression that they -are- more conservative now, very quick to
: say "VFR Not Recommended". One even told me that the FAA's guidance
: was, in effect, to provide such advice.

: I had to press a few of them to give me specifics, to give me enough
: information so I could decide for myself. Only once did I get a less
: than satisfactory response.

Well, that seems to match my experiences. I haven't been flying quite as much in the past
year or so since I've been finishing up my degree, but the few times I have I was dissapointed at
the CYA sentiment. Conservative flying should be up to the PILOT, however, and not up to the
briefer. As expressed above, it's even difficult to *GET* objective information from a briefer once
they've decided that you should take your little Cherokee and go play in the pattern.

To me it seems exactly like the icing scAIRMETS during the winter months. They have
overplayed the card so much that it has become the briefer who cried ice... nobody even pays
attention anymore. Rather unfortunate it seems and less safe for the pilots.

-Cory

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* Cory Papenfuss, Ph.D., PPSEL-IA *
* Electrical Engineering *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
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