Weather for flight planning question.

[PondJumper]

Ok guys, I'm scheduled to take my Instrument Check Ride in a couple of days and I'm trying to get the flight plan prepared. I was told that I don't have to wait until the morning of the check ride to do this, so I've simply printed out everything I will use to plan this flight. My room mate is telling me that the only authorized sources for weather info are DUATS and 1-800-WXBRIEF.

 

He says I'd be crazy to show up for a check ride admitting that I used aviationweather.gov to make a flight plan. As I remember from my Private Check Ride, I was asked how I reference weather and NOAH was just fine. I can't find any reason for not using aviationweather.gov, as most of the pilots and CFI's I know do the same, but just because it's commonly used doesn't mean it's ok for the DPE.

 

Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

[Flying Pig]

Darn.... How did I manage to pass check rides all the way up through CFI FW and RH? That's all I used.

[WolftalonID]

Wow....any DPE who wont accept the Government weather that the FAA uses is nuts.

Ever wonder where duat or duats, both get their weather data from?....

 

Your fine brother.... Just use the drop down menu for aviation and print away all possible reports. Be ready to explain anything you print too!

 

Edit: your roomies smokin somethin....

Edited December 8, 2013 by WolftalonID

[rick1128]

The FAA allows charter operators to use fltplan.com, aviationweather.com and WSI for air carrier weather. So if it is good enough for the air carriers it should be good enough for a Part 91 operator. There may be other weather websites that are acceptable, these are the ones I could pull out at this moment.

 

Good luck on your checkride. Just remember you can use the examiner as a dumb copilot or a dumb autopilot and I would suggest that you do so.

[ridethisbike]

From what I understand, FSS uses the same things we do to check weather. aviationweather.gov being that source.

 

Every checkride I've taken, thus far, I've used and printed weather from that website. My commercial checkride, I got a little hair on my newts and also printed the weather I used from wunderground.com since they show forecast wind direction and velocity in 3 hour increments. He kind of smirked and asked what I would do if I hadn't used those forecast winds (the TAF said VRB at 5 or something like that), to which I replied "I would plan everything as a head wind to avoid potential fuel exhaustion from improper planning." He really liked that answer and moved on.

 

Plus, no where in the PTS does it state what source you are required to get the weather from.

 

Also, I'm not sure if this is common practice, but we've always had to plan the flight as if we were actually going to fly it and to bring weather products that cover the times of the flight (if practical, some products this isn't possible). Meaning... even if we knew a week in advance what the assignment was you didnt plan the weather portion until the day/morning prior. This meant waking up early and plugging in the weather and printing off valid reports just before the check ride.

 

Anyways, remember, the only thing that makes those two sources official is that they are record you receiving the weather... or so I'm told

[WolftalonID]

Anyways, remember, the only thing that makes those two sources official is that they are record you receiving the weather... or so I'm told

Yes thats a good point. If you print your weather yourself, do your flight planning early, then call and get your iFR standard briefing, then if any delay occurs, get a quick update before you leave.

[Spike]

You’d be mistaken if you believe that some DPE’s don’t insist on using certain particular weather reporting products for their check-rides. They do this because their familiar with the format and basically have a “standard” which they apply to every applicant. Plus, it tends to speed up the ride. With that said, you can simply ask what format he prefers or, print all the formats so you go in prepared or, ask other students what they used who’ve taken the ride with that DPE. Additionally, I wouldn’t suggest pulling out the PTS and attempt to argue the fact that no particular format is required…. That’d be dumb and possibly turn your day pink………

[UH60L-IP]

Maybe this is why your roommate is claiming that it is not legal weather?

 

http://www.aviationweather.gov/stdbrief/

 

Currently, the information contained here does not meet the FAA requirements for a pre-flight weather brief...

 

Just guessing.

 

 

He says I'd be crazy to show up for a check ride admitting that I'd used aviationweather.gov to make a flight plan.

 

I'm not sure why. You can and should use all sources to create your flight plan - official, unofficial, PIREPS, your knowledge of local weather patterns, and even just looking outside. Creating a flight plan is not synonymous with obtaining a legal weather brief.

 

Saying that you used other than official sources on a Private or even Commercial check ride is fine - not all flights require official weather prior to departure. A perfectly correct answer on one check ride does not necessarily equate to even a decent answer on another check ride.

[ridethisbike]

Additionally, I wouldn’t suggest pulling out the PTS and attempt to argue the fact that no particular format is required…. That’d be dumb and possibly turn your day pink………

 

Agreed. I was merely stating that it isn't listed anywhere in there. I don't recommend ANYONE try to argue with a DPE on something like that.

[avbug]

The weather products are the same. What's different is that with DUATs and a direct FSS briefing, a legal record is retained of your having had the briefing. Certificate holders (135, 121) have specific weather sources that they're allowed to use and not use, and anyone who's using a weather source needs to consider the legal ramifications of proving they did the leg work to become familiar with all aspects of information concerning the flight.

 

Flightplan.com is another commonly approved source of weather that can be used for flight planning, weather, etc.

 

Domestically, I usually grab the weather products I need, and go, but if it's a 135 flight, i'll ensure there's a record of my having been briefed. I want it on record.

 

If you show up with weather charts, METARs and TAFs, you've got the same weather you'll get anywhere else.

[iChris]

My room mate is telling me that the only authorized sources for weather info are DUATS and 1-800-WXBRIEF.

 

He says I'd be crazy to show up for a check ride admitting that I used aviationweather.gov to make a flight plan. As I remember from my Private Check Ride, I was asked how I reference weather and NOAH was just fine. I can't find any reason for not using aviationweather.gov, as most of the pilots and CFI's I know do the same, but just because it's commonly used doesn't mean it's ok for the DPE.

 

Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

 

When in doubt with regard to any practical test, refer back to your PTS, not your roommate. Aviationweather.gov is fine; however, always include 1-800-WXBRIEF as a good one-two punch for weather information and cross-country flight planning, NOTAMs etc.

 

Just as you are held to the privileges and limitations of your certificate, so it is with any DPE. Any good DPE will conduct and score all oral and practical tests in accordance with the applicable PTS for the airman certificate sought.

 

Remember, each designee operates under the direct supervision of the local FAA office that holds the designee’s file. They (DPEs) are not Gods to be worshiped.

 

The designee’s Initial appointment is for a period of 1 year. After the initial appointment period, the managing FAA office will determine the duration of the designation. However, the designation must be renewed at least every 3 years, if the continuation of the designation is justified.

 

Don’t be afraid to question your DPE with your valid concerns. Moreover, don’t be afraid to report valid concerns to the local FAA office. It’s not uncommon for a DPE to be removed because people were willing to voice their concerns and get a bad DPE out of the system.

 

Privileges. A designee is authorized to:

 

Conduct Tests. Conduct tests, in the English language, appropriate to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certificate of authority (COA) letter held by the designee, in accordance with the appropriate PTS…

 

Limitations:

Applicable PTS. A designee must not exempt any applicant from the testing requirements in the applicable PTS…

 

Teaching/Testing. A designee must not combine teaching with testing during the testing of an applicant….

 

“THIS DESIGNATION IS A PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT, AND THE FAA ADMINISTRATOR CAN TERMINATE ANY DESIGNATION AT ANY TIME OR FOR ANY REASON HE OR SHE DEEMS APPROPRIATE.”

 

8900.2 CHG 2 - Chapter 5

Edited December 9, 2013 by iChris

[PondJumper]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I just got back from the Check Ride, and utterly destroyed the ground portion. It could not have gone any better, and I'm so glad it's finished. I proceeded along with the weather info portion of the flight plan via aviationweather (printed forecasts and reports), and the DPE was fine with it.

 

I did quite well on the practical as well, maybe my best IFR flight yet. Not so great on the VOR Approach but everything else was tits.

 

I appreciate all the replies.