who uses FSS?

FSS specialists are NOT trained meteorologists. They are trained in
interpreting the data that they are given by the NWS.

Bob Gardner

"John T" wrote in message
ws.com...
"McGregor" wrote in message
link.net

Then I call flight service and listen to the guy/girl give me this
wildly generalized briefing that usually doesn't tell me very much.

Last time I was in a flight service station (2000 I think) they were
still using IBM CRTs with textual info, so I don't know how they can
give anyone a very precise route briefing.

Coupla points here. First, all these briefers are (supposed to be, at
least) trained meteorologists. Second, FSS is (hopefully) getting
real-time
updates from PIREPs to help fill in the weather picture. Third, the
Leesburg AFSS station, for one, definitely has full color radar/satellite
weather pictures available on everything from the national to the very
local
level. As others said, the text-only interface is used to input flight
plans and to pull up TAFs, NOTAMs and winds aloft during my briefings.

So... is FSS just there to a) cover your ass in case of an incident
("pilot called FSS and got a full weather briefing prior to departing
into known icing/TFR/hurricane etc.") b) accept flight plans?

Remember that FSS also helps coordinate SAR efforts and helps pilots in
distress. You've also alluded to their usefulness for Flight Watch.

Of course, my experience is almost certainly skewed due to the fact that I
actually fly out of Leesburg (JYO) and have the luxury of walking up to
the
counter for a personal briefing. I would probably share a lot of the
frustrations of many other users if I had to use the phone every time I
wanted to talk to them.

Even with the personal service, though, I still use DUATS more often than
not to get a "briefing" before going to the airport. That usually saves
me
some surprises during my FSS briefing.

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/tknoFlyer
__________

"Bob Gardner" wrote in message
. net

FSS specialists are NOT trained meteorologists. They are trained in
interpreting the data that they are given by the NWS.

Perhaps I misunderstood the local head of training when he gave me a tour a
few years ago.

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/tknoFlyer
_______________

"John T" wrote in message
ws.com...

Perhaps I misunderstood the local head of training when he gave me a tour
a
few years ago.


Sounds like you did. A degree in meteorology is not required of FSS weather
briefers.

Years ago, FSS publicized they had a way of connecting callers over to a
meteorologist, upon request. Does that still exist? I doubt it.
I don't recall any time in the past fifty years that briefers were =
required
to be meteorologists.

On rare occasions, I've encountered briefers who had been meteorologists
in a former life, usually during military service. But when employed as
FSS briefers, their job is to disburse weather data, not interpret it.

In the old days, we pilots could walk into a weather station to get
aviation weather from an actual meteorologist.
That must be the reason they taught us the station model in ground =
school.
---JRC---

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message =
link.net...
=20
"John T" wrote in message
ws.com...

Perhaps I misunderstood the local head of training when he gave me a =
tour
a
few years ago.

=20
Sounds like you did. A degree in meteorology is not required of FSS =
weather
briefers.
=20

"John R. Copeland" wrote in message
...

Years ago, FSS publicized they had a way of connecting callers over to a
meteorologist, upon request. Does that still exist? I doubt it.
I don't recall any time in the past fifty years that briefers were
required
to be meteorologists.

On rare occasions, I've encountered briefers who had been meteorologists
in a former life, usually during military service. But when employed as
FSS briefers, their job is to disburse weather data, not interpret it.

In the old days, we pilots could walk into a weather station to get
aviation weather from an actual meteorologist.
That must be the reason they taught us the station model in ground school.


In the old days, prior to 1961, only NWS gave pilot weather briefings. FSS
and it's predecessor facilities could only relay weather reports verbatim.