Lockheed Martin!!!! Way to go!!! Not!!

[Coool Hand Luke]

You guys have missed my point entirely. It's simple- don't rely on one sole source of information- especially when planning a flight. It's just going to get you in trouble. Yes, there are other ways to look up notams, especially on the internet.

And yes, I do know what happens at an FSS, I used to manage an airport that had an FSS ON SITE. I used to have meetings with their people weekly and took the tour a million times.


Did you have a contingency plan?? What if something happened on the field and it was truly closed??
huh?? Or are you one of those guys that lands on a highway because you "ran out of fuel"?

Once again, typical ground pounder. Do you really think we have time to consult "multiple" sources for the same information? So much for ever leaving on time...or better yet, how about a two hour show, just so we can check notams in triplicate! (oh, but wait that would extend duty times)

For the record I am a CM of AAAE and x-airport manager and speaking from experience 90% of airports managers that think they understand the pilot's perspective really have no clue or worse, don't care. Let me know if you need recent examples, I have plenty.

 

[NW_Pilot]

huh?? Or are you one of those guys that lands on a highway because you "ran out of fuel"?

Nope, Just to stop and get a drink at a local PUB and visit with some friends for a few days! Them AG pilots can really party.

See Photo

Planning to go land on the beach this weekend and do some fishing. Airport

 

[svcta]

You guys have missed my point entirely. It's simple- don't rely on one sole source of information- especially when planning a flight. It's just going to get you in trouble. Yes, there are other ways to look up notams, especially on the internet.

And yes, I do know what happens at an FSS, I used to manage an airport that had an FSS ON SITE. I used to have meetings with their people weekly and took the tour a million times.


Did you have a contingency plan?? What if something happened on the field and it was truly closed??
huh?? Or are you one of those guys that lands on a highway because you "ran out of fuel"?

You'd best retract the fangs because you're just wrong. Many, many times I've stopped at airports either planned or unplanned and there was only a phone to be found. A pay phone outside a dark building sometimes is all you've got. Flight service is sometimes the ONLY source of weather or anything else.

We don't always have multiple resources at our disposal; THAT'S THE POINT.

 

[kf4amu]

I love these "holier than thou" people who apparently always think of every outcome for every situation and never have a problem.

My 2 instances were a minor inconvenience because I had to divert to another airport. Both times I was given either 0 or incorrect information by the briefer as to the status of the airport I was flying to. No big deal in the end, but what if it was something more important where I was left with much fewer options?

Flight following is a huge help to cover inept briefer's misinformation. I always use it when possible.

 

[troy]

ummm... it is the responsibility of the PIC to check for ALL notams. NOT the briefer.

WTF?????? Are you on Earth, or just a true dumbass?

 

[propsarebest]

WTF?????? Are you on Earth, or just a true dumbass?

Yes you are correct o mighty CFII.

 

[svcta]

Yes you are correct o mighty CFII.

Too _______(insert adjective) to admit that you are wrong?

 

[avbug]

I called FSS today for the first time in a while. I went through the hoops, got put through to a "briefer" in Seattle. I asked if I heard them right; I was in Idaho. Yes...do you want a local briefer?

Now the case used to be that the value of the briefer was that he or she was local, knew the weather, knew the area, and could provide some valued input. Then along came automated FSS's, and finally we're down to this.

The woman answering the phone couldn't properly read the TAF/METAR's, and couldn't interpret them. Her information and input was worthless. She couldn't translate local time to GMT, and when she tried, she got it backward. About as untrained and unprofessional as one could hope for, or not hope for, as the case may be. Sad stuff.

 

[NW_Pilot]

I called FSS today for the first time in a while. I went through the hoops, got put through to a "briefer" in Seattle. I asked if I heard them right; I was in Idaho. Yes...do you want a local briefer?

Now the case used to be that the value of the briefer was that he or she was local, knew the weather, knew the area, and could provide some valued input. Then along came automated FSS's, and finally we're down to this.

The woman answering the phone couldn't properly read the TAF/METAR's, and couldn't interpret them. Her information and input was worthless. She couldn't translate local time to GMT, and when she tried, she got it backward. About as untrained and unprofessional as one could hope for, or not hope for, as the case may be. Sad stuff.

Thank You,
Avbug

We agree on something?

It's getting bad!!!! I miss my local briefer knowing the micro climate trends around here.

Bug if your ever in Portland, OR let go have a drink! I am buying first round!

 

[TrafficInSight]

Believe it or not I called today and got a briefer within 3 minutes and actually got good information...

Of course there wasn't a cloud in the sky over California today, and I only needed the briefing for the planning portion of my commercial ride, which I passed. (woohoo )

Every time I've actually needed a briefer lately I can't get one... or I get spotty information.

Recently, with a departure airport of RHV and destination MYF via bakersfield, palmdale, LAX colliseum route, etc... the "inland route" so to speak, they gave me weather for Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, and San Bernardino. I had to ask for the winds aloft and weather at each station that I was actually going to need.

I do miss having a local briefer... sigh.

 

[WabiSabi]

And for some of you folks, your buddy bumbling idiot buddy Bush wants to privatize ATC as well. Judging from this Lockheed Martin debacle, it isn't a good idea after all. Sorry repubs or libertarians, market forces aren't the answer to everything.

 

[bell47]

Lockheed martin is horrible, plain and simple. I too have had lots of IFR plans dropped and goofy info given. Even the company canned flight plans get screwed up some how(I really don't understand that one!) I fly around the northeast and usually get a briefer from down south or in the mid west somewhere. It's gonna be fun this winter discussing lake effect snow with some briefer from the the Carolinas! I sure wish Bangor FSS was still there, I miss those guys. They really understood the local weather.

 

[svcta]

I think that most of us agree that some things should be driven by the bottom line. And I'm a libertarian. Some of us can get by without toeing the party line. How about you?

 

[LivestockTony]

It's gonna be fun this winter discussing lake effect snow with some briefer from the the Carolinas!

Seems like everyone in North Carolina is originally from Ohio, so as long as you get Raleigh FSS you'll be ok.

I'm pretty not happy with LM either, local knowledge was worth something... and there was a note in the (june or july) AOPA magazine that they'll be taking over DUATs too...

 

[ctab5060X]

Right from the FAA website for TFR's:

Depicted TFR data may not be a complete listing. Pilots should not use the information on this website for flight planning purposes. For the latest information, call your local Flight Service Station at 1-800-WX-BRIEF.

Local FSS...I needed a good laugh today!

and there was a note in the (june or july) AOPA magazine that they'll be taking over DUATs too...

Might be wrong here, but didn't I also read that we are supposed to keep DUATs (as we know it) through summer 2008? Something about we were supposed to have lost it this summer, but somehow managed to keep it active until next year... I just hope by the time that we do lose DUATs that LM has their freakin' act together and they don't bumble around like a bunch of idiots that don't jack.

For instance...I called LMFS the other night about the Presidential TFR in Kansas City, just to make sure that MCI was not going to be affected during my arrival or departure time...managed to get a "briefer" right away, but took 15 minutes of bumbling around to even find the TFR text, let alone decipher it. All I kept hearing was..."I just don't know...I don't have a clear map where I can see the outline of the TFR to tell..."