From the DPE: The Lost Art of Calling for a Weather Briefing
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In an era where smartphones and tablets have revolutionized aviation, pilots have access to a wealth of weather information at their fingertips. Apps like ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot, iFlightPlanner, and others offer real-time METARs, TAFs, radar overlays, and flight planning tools, making preflight preparation faster and more efficient than ever. Yet, amid this technological boom, a crucial skill is fading into obscurity: the art of calling a human weather briefer for a personalized briefing.
As a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) with years of experience administering practical tests, I’ve witnessed firsthand how this shift is affecting new generations of pilots. Many newer aviators have become overly dependent on digital tools, shying away from the phone in favor of quick app glances. Often, they only check a couple of items, like the local METAR and the TAF at the airport they are operating from, and nothing more.
The reluctance to call for a phone briefing not only limits their understanding of weather contexts but also fosters a superficial approach to flight safety. It’s time we revive this “lost art” by encouraging Certified Flight Instructors (CFIs) to integrate traditional briefings into training operations.
Historically, pilots relied on Flight Service Stations (FSS) for weather briefings operated by the Federal Aviation Administration.
To understand the problem, let’s trace the evolution of weather briefings in general aviation. Historically, pilots relied on Flight Service Stations (FSS) operated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or contractors like Leidos, which runs the 1-800-WX-BRIEF service. Before the widespread adoption of the internet and mobile apps, obtaining a weather briefing meant picking up the phone or visiting an FSS in person. Briefers—certified specialists trained in meteorology and aviation—would provide tailored information based on the pilot’s flight plan, including adverse conditions, NOTAMs, and forecasts along the route. This process was interactive; pilots could ask questions, clarify ambiguities, and gain insights that raw data couldn’t convey. Often, briefers would offer additional information even if the pilot didn’t specifically request it, giving hints about what to evaluate or providing a broader picture of regional weather.
The advent of electronic flight bags (EFBs) has changed much—mostly for the better, though a few things have suffered. EFB-based flight planning has quickly become a staple for its intuitive interface, integrating sectional charts, weather layers, and flight filing. Plus, printed charts are now hard to find. These tools have undeniable benefits: they save time, reduce paperwork, stay easily up-to-date, and allow for self-briefing, which the FAA increasingly encourages as part of its transition away from mandatory call-in services. According to FAA guidelines, pilots are now expected to use a variety of sources for preflight information under 14 CFR 91.103, which requires familiarity with all available data concerning the flight. Apps make this compliance easier, offering everything from satellite imagery to winds aloft in one place—assuming the pilot goes deeper than just the local METAR and TAF.
However, this convenience has bred dependency, particularly among pilots in training. Too often, newer pilots treat apps as the sole source of truth, bypassing deeper analysis. This isn’t just anecdotal; the FAA’s own advisory circulars, like AC 91-92 (Pilot’s Guide to a Preflight Briefing), emphasize that while self-briefing is valuable, it should complement—not replace—professional input when needed.
Why are younger pilots so reluctant to call a briefer? The reasons are multifaceted. First, generational comfort with technology plays a role. Millennials and Gen Z pilots, raised on apps and instant gratification, view calling as antiquated and time-consuming. Why dial a number when an app can pull up a TAF in seconds? Second, there’s an element of intimidation. Speaking to a certified briefer requires articulating a flight plan clearly and fielding questions, which can feel daunting for students still building confidence. CFIs need to help pilots develop this skill during initial training.
Millennials and Gen Z pilots, raised on apps and instant gratification, view calling as antiquated and time-consuming—why dial a number when an app can pull up a TAF in seconds?
In my experience as a DPE, this reluctance often shows up during checkrides. Frequently, when I text an applicant in the morning asking, “Are we still good to go for the checkride today?” the response is something like, “The current METAR is OK.”
But when a DPE texts at 6:15 a.m., it might be a hint that something in the weather could make the day questionable. The current METAR may be fine at one airport, but nearby airports could be reporting 300-overcast ceilings with one-mile visibility and mist. Does the TAF indicate thunderstorms at 8am? Have you checked radar for approaching precipitation? These are exactly the questions pilots need to consider before a checkride—or any flight. Sometimes it’s a matter of timing: weather may improve by departure, requiring a combination of ground prep and in-flight reassessment.
The app-centric approach leads to incomplete briefings and potential safety gaps. METARs provide current conditions, and TAFs forecast terminal weather, but they don’t always capture the full story. Without context from a briefer, a pilot might overlook a developing squall line or widespread low ceilings en route. The FAA’s General Aviation Pilot’s Guide to Preflight Weather Planning stresses the importance of obtaining a “standard briefing” that includes adverse conditions—something apps can display but often require manual cross-referencing. Many applicants struggle to interpret beyond surface-level data, relying on app-generated “go/no-go” indicators without understanding the underlying meteorology. This superficiality can be dangerous; weather-related accidents often stem from inadequate preflight planning.
You can dig deeper on apps by reviewing forecast discussions, prog charts, radar summaries, and standard METAR/TAF data, but it takes more effort. A best practice is to do that self-study and then call a briefer. This approach gives you context, allowing you to focus and understand what the briefer communicates.
Briefers help pilots form a broader understanding of trends. They might say, “The TAF shows [this], but it’s 4–5 hours old, and the forecasted clearing isn’t developing as expected.” These insights come from years of professional experience that pilots can leverage to enhance their preflight decision-making.
Moreover, calling a briefer provides legal and practical safeguards. A recorded phone briefing serves as evidence of compliance with 14 CFR 91.103, invaluable if issues arise, such as an unexpected TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction). Briefers can also provide region-specific advice, such as emphasizing microclimates around the Great Lakes or Pacific Northwest that apps generalize. Standard briefings cover everything: synopsis, current conditions, en route forecasts, destination weather, winds aloft, NOTAMs, and more—helping pilots build a mental model of the flight and boost confidence.
The benefits extend beyond data acquisition. Human briefers interpret trends algorithms might miss, such as subtle shifts in pressure systems or recent PIREPs. A 2024 FAA presentation recommended combining self-study with standard briefings, monitoring patterns up to seven days prior. Most pilots don’t do that—but briefers do.
CFIs play a critical role. Start early in training by requiring students to call for briefings during dual instruction. Sit with them as they dial 1-800-WX-BRIEF, guiding them through providing aircraft type, departure time, route, and altitude. Debrief afterward—what did the briefer highlight that the app didn’t? Hands-on practice demystifies the process and builds communication skills essential for ATC interactions.
Reviving the lost art of calling for a weather briefing isn’t about rejecting technology; it’s about enhancing it. App-based information is the appetizer—it gets you started. The phone briefing is the main course, filling in context and depth.
As aviation evolves and more pilots take to the skies, fostering comprehensive weather literacy is paramount. CFIs, get your students calling more frequently and demystify the experience. Most briefers welcome the interaction—they want to talk weather!
Pilots who have never called a briefer: try it before your next flight. Rip the band-aid off—it won’t hurt. The briefer won’t bite or yell.
A NAFI Master Flight Instructor and 2023 Michigan FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year, Jason has over 30 years of flying experience and two decades as a flight instructor. He was named 2016 Michigan CFI of the Year and has served as Executive Director of the National Association of Flight Instructors. His service includes national committees such as the FAA’s Runway Safety Council, the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee, and the TSA Aviation Safety Advisory Council.
In addition to examiner duties, Jason works with aviation associations and companies as a consultant and writer, focusing on pilot training, testing, and safety. He holds undergraduate degrees in Human Resource Management and International and Comparative Politics, plus a master’s degree in Development Administration from Western Michigan University. Originally from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, he is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys scuba diving, skiing, hunting, fishing, mountain biking, and golfing.
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Right on, Jason. I’d be surprised if most recently-minted flight instructors have ever experienced a telephone briefing, themselves. In turn, they don’t teach it to students as a valuable alternative. It is massively easier for a briefer to navigate NOTAMs for you than to crawl through the list yourself.
Jason: Good article. The problem I have seen, however, is that the last couple of times that I have supplemented my digital briefings (with ForeFlight) with a live standard briefing, they have fallen short. Far from providing any additional insights, they have been near identical recitations of the digital briefings. Even when I prompted them with questions, they were reluctant (or unable?) to elaborate. It makes me doubt whether the briefers have any advanced meteorological training. I hope I am wrong.
My understanding is that there are fewer briefers (understandably) and they may be anywhere in the country. They used to offer briefings with expertise in their geographical area where they would have gained insight from their years of experience with that area and its weather patterns.
ForeFlight records what you have scrolled through and skipped in the briefing too. I stumbled across it once when I saved a .pdf of the briefing they provide. Good weather is easy to understand marginal not so much. I call for a briefing when the picture is not clear to me and listen for “VFR FLIGHT NOT RECOMMENDED” and that’s my go or no go.
A good self-briefing in marginal conditions takes effort, to be sure, but is not difficult to learn. On the other hand, when technology fails or is unavailable, such as lack of WiFi or internet services, a telephone briefing can be the only option. While fairly rare, it can happen, as it has to me.
I’m still a student pilot for a bit longer, but what I like to do is open a VFR flight plan via the 1800wxbrief.com website. Then when I call 1-800-WX-BRIEF, my cell phone number links to my 1800wxbrief profile, which links to the flight plan. The briefer just confirms my tail number and then we go from there. Not having to verbally convey the flight plan saves the briefer time and potentially reduces communication errors.
Nice tip Robert R. I will use it next time.
I teach platform ground school to high schoolers. On this subject, we go first to the Leidos website and get a full standard electronic briefing. Then we call the briefers and ask for the same thing; I make the briefers fully aware we are in training. The briefers are normally more than helpful.
Students notice the briefers pretty much read the same briefing to us. They express preference for the electronic briefing since it is more efficient.
I also use Foreflight for full standard briefings. I just lately discovered there is a “Forecast Discussion” option around the TAF section that points out what a verbal briefer would express. I wish Foreflight would make that a primary tab.
When I took my flight training they had me make that phone call. After waiting on line for more than 30 minutes to speak to someone I realized that while humans are great they were too busy and not enough of them to be really useful. I now rely on my many digital aviation websites for weather info. No more 30 minute holds to speak with them.
SteveK is right. While everything in this article is theoretically true, in real life you call the number, wait for a briefer, maybe wait a while longer, then get someone located hundreds of miles away, who reads aloud what you’ve already read. Long gone are the days when FSS offered any local or specialized knowledge.
“EFB-based flight planning has quickly become a staple for its intuitive interface, integrating sectional charts, weather layers, and flight filing. Plus, printed charts are now hard to find. ”
What charts do you mean? I have heard that navigational chart subscriptions are available through online vendors, such as Sporty’s.
Great article and I agree the student needs to be aware how to contact his FSS and get a briefing however ive quit calling them at least in my area because the first thing out of the briefer mouth is VFR not recommended even though it’s perfectly clear the entire route. They seem to be more concerned by covering their hind end than actually offering advice. Not the case in Alaska or Canada where the briefer actually offers advice.
I agree with several other commenters, FSS has declined over the past several years – both in time to answer phone and quality of the briefing. Todays pilot needs to understand the variety of digital weather tools and how to effectively use them to determine their mission viability. We are evolving: landline phone to cell phones, CATV to streaming, VOR to GPS, paper charts to digital maps, and now FSS to EFB. Embrace the new technology or get left behind.