Originally Posted by IO540
I flew in the USA earlier this year when doing training there. The airfield didn't have what you appear to describe. However, I had my head down and didn't have time to mess about. However, if what you describe is standard then that answers my question.
The other half of the "problem" is that airport-based weather briefings aren't any good for real touring, because you have to get out of your hotel room and travel to the airport to check the weather (US$$$$ spent/wasted on the taxi/cab). So, I have not used any such facilities for years. Pilots that do longer trips like that have portable internet access and do it while still in the hotel or whatever, and in that context there is a huge gulf between the weather services promoted in the UK by the "official" bodies and what the more serious pilots actually use, and this led to my original question. I really don't believe that serious pilots in the USA get their briefings from either WX-BRIEF or from some facility at the tower, either.
All you need is web access. As already mentioned wx-brief, DUATs, AOPA online and the adds website (
http://adds.aviationweather.noaa.gov/) are all you need for a very complete picture. I normally suppliment this with an outlook from the WX channel a few days out and an outlook briefing 24 hours before. Once you have all the info call wx-brief to file, check FDC, local and distant notams and TFR's; by then you should have everything you need. The key to it all is internet access. At least here in TX almost every terminal has a pilots room with all this available for free, even small airports in the boonies.
- Tim