who uses FSS?

The last FSS I was in was in Illinois. We were x-country to Denver during
T-storm season and decided to go get a personal brief. The guys were really
friendly, but their equipment seemed dated. The briefers did have what
looked like an internet connection with Nexrad on a separate display above
their workspace... yet, his "standard brief" came straight off the mainframe
screen.

My wife (commercial, multi, instrument) asked about avoiding the storms
straddling our route and the guy started to recommend a routing that to my
eyes (glancing at the Nexrad image) looked like it would take us right
through the thick of it! While my wife was getting this guy's .02 on how to
get from here-to-there, another briefer gently grabbed my arm, pulled me
over and gave me his recommendation which was the more Northerly routing
that I'd have picked based on what I'd seen on Nexrad.

So, it's not always a good thing to have some one else, even an expert,
interpret data for you. One more reason I'd love to have a data link in the
plane. I can brief myself on long flights where you may not have your own
internet service.

"Bob Gardner" wrote in message
news:IPteb.471963$Oz4.295381@rwcrnsc54...
You haven't been into a modern automated FSS like the one on Boeing Field.
More weather graphics than you can shake a stick at. The only text-based
thing I have seen is the template for accepting flight plans filed by
phone
or radio.

Bob Gardner