Flight Training - December 2019 - 27

WEATHER

BY IAN J. TWOMBLY

AS YOU WISH

WEATHER WHERE AND WHEN YOU WANT IT
ONLY A DECADE AGO, IF YOU WANTED TO OBTAIN WEATHER INFORMATION OR

file a flight plan your two options were calling flight service or logging on FAA
DUATS, using programs that only an avid DOS user would love. Now with
weather coming from all types of sources competition has driven flight service
contractor Leidos to introduce a host of creative and innovative features. Here
are some ways to interact with flight service you may not have used.
EASILY OPEN AND CLOSE FLIGHT PLANS

Calling flight service is always an ordeal. The briefers are helpful and
attentive, but regardless of how good the service is you must always go
through a menu and give information before you can get to your request.
Now you can open or close a flight plan by email or text. Once you've logged
in to 1800wxbrief.com, click on "Easy Activate Easy Close." Add your email
and your phone number and you'll receive a reminder 30 minutes prior to
departure to open the plan and 30 minutes prior to your estimated time of
arrival to close the plan. Just click on the provided link and you're done.

COLLEGE
AVIATION
DIRECTORY

TEXT WEATHER

Need a quick METAR or TAF? Now you can get it by text. Message M for
Metar or T for TAF, followed by the identifier to 358-782 (FLT-SVC) and
flight service will reply with the current weather at the location. If you
add PT to the end of the message you'll receive the report in plain text. For
example, if you text M KFDK PT you'll receive the METAR for Frederick,
Maryland, in plain text.
SMART SPEAKER

Have an Amazon or Google smart speaker and a few moments while
you're getting ready in the morning? Say, "What is the TAF at Alpha Tango
Lima?" and you'll be read the latest terminal aerodrome forecast. It also
works with METARs. You can also ask for the Aviation Forecast Discussion at an airport to get a broader picture of what the weather is going to
do over the next few hours. If you've linked your flight service account to
Amazon you can also ask for an Adverse Condition Update on a flight plan
you've already filed.

Seeking a college
degree in the field
of aviation?
Find your best match
in AOPA's College
Aviation Directory.

aopa.org/colleges

WEBSITE

If you haven't planned a flight on 1800wxbrief.com lately, you should.
Leidos has released a host of innovative features, and more are being added
regularly. The company was an early developer for color-coded airport
conditions tied to your planned flight time. Say you're going from Florida to
North Carolina at 1500 Zulu. Along the way you'll see color-coded airport
conditions. Don't like what you see? Slide the time and the colors change
with the forecasts. It's a great heads-up way to find the right time to depart,
and one of many features you'll find on the site.
ian.twombly@aopa.org
AOPA.ORG/FT 27

http://www.aopa.org/colleges http://www.1800wxbrief.com http://www.1800wxbrief.com http://www.AOPA.ORG/FT

Flight Training - December 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - December 2019