Conducting Preflight Self-Briefings for Student and VFR Pilots
Course Review
This course was developed by Flight Service and is designed to provide the student, and Visual Flight Rules (VFR) pilot, guidance on how to conduct a regulatory compliant preflight self-briefing using automated weather resources. The class is divided into seven sections:
- Introduction
- Know Before You Go: The Importance of Preflight Planning
- Preflight Self-Briefing
- Phases of Flight
- The “Go-No-Go” Decision
- Pilot Reports (PIREPs)
- Preflight Self-Briefing Resources and FAQs
Over the past 100 years, Flight Service has provided aeronautical and meteorological information and services to pilots before, during and after flight. Flight Service supports the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) mission to provide the safest and most efficient aerospace system in the world with innovative technologies for the next generation. Flight Service continues to support the FAA’s mission with the evolution of pilot weather briefings conducted using automated resources.
Preflight planning prepares pilots to conduct a safe flight. Whether flying in the local traffic pattern or cross country, pilots must plan the route of flight and review aeronautical information and weather conditions (current and forecast), prior to departure. Preflight planning skills are just as important as flying skills and every pilot must develop the ability to gather, understand and apply meteorological and aeronautical information to the planned flight.
The objective is to ensure the flight can be conducted safely and that the correct decisions are made on whether to fly. This requires an understanding of aviation weather basics and an appreciation for weather’s importance and relationship to flight.
