Norcal, March 1999

There are many weather services available to today's pilot that allow him/her to properly plan their flight during their pre-flight formulation. Use of the AFSS/FSS briefing through the toll free number 1-800-WX-BRIEF is commonly used. Private industry sources are available as is the FAA sponsored Direct User Access System (or DUATS computer system)

All fine and well, but what services are available after I've filed my flight plan, preflighted my aircraft and taken off into the blue only to observe the weather deteriorate rapidly? Well, according to the AIM on page 7-1-4, En Route Flight Advisory Service (EFAS or Flight Watch) is a service specifically designed to provide en route aircraft with timely and meaningful weather advisories pertinent to the type of flight intended, route of flight, and altitude. EFAS is provided by specially trained specialists in selected AFSSs/FSSs controlling multiple Remote Communications Outlets covering a large geographical area and is normally available throughout the conterminous U.S. and Puerto Rico from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. EFAS provides communications capabilities for aircraft flying at 5,000 feet above ground level to 17,500 feet MSL on a common frequency of 122.0 MHz. Discrete EFAS frequencies have been established to ensure communications coverage from 18,000 through 45,000 MSL serving in each specific ARTCC area. These discrete frequencies may be used below 18,000 feet when coverage permits reliable communication.

You may contact flight watch by using the name of the Air Route Traffic Control Center facility identification serving the area of your location, followed by your aircraft identification, and the name of the nearest VOR to your position. Remember though, EFAS is not intended to be used for filing or closing flight plans, position reporting, getting complete preflight briefings, or obtaining random weather reports and forecasts. En route flight advisories are tailored to the phase of flight that begins after climb-out and ends with descent to land. Pilot participation is essential to the success of EFAS by providing a continuous exchange of information on weather, winds, turbulence, flight visibility, icing, etc., between pilots and flight watch specialists. Pilots are encouraged to report good weather as well as bad, and to confirm expected conditions as well as unexpected to EFAS facilities.

OK, you say, but what if I can not get hold of Flight Watch, or worse, a FSS. Well, TWEB's are still available. No, not the local canary bird, but Transcribed Weather Broadcast (TWEB). Equipment is provided at selected FSSs by which meteorological and aeronautical data are recorded on tapes and broadcast continuously over selected low-frequency (190-535 kHz) navigational aids (L/MF ranges or H facilities) and/or VOR's. Broadcasts are made from a series of individual tape recordings, and changes, as they occur, are transcribed onto the tapes. The information provided varies depending on the type equipment available. Generally, the broadcast contains route-oriented data with specially prepared NWS forecasts, In-flight Advisories, and winds aloft plus preselected current information, such as weather reports, NOTAM's, and special notices. In some locations, the information is broadcast over the local VOR only and is limited to such items as the hourly weather for the parent station and up to 5 immediately adjacent stations, local NOTAM information, terminal forecast (FT) for the parent station, adverse conditions extracted from In-flight Advisories, and other potentially hazardous conditions. On your sectional chart look for the black circle with a T in the center, symbol in the upper right hand corner of the radio aid box.

AWOS, AWOS, AWOS

Now that you are within radio receiver range of your destination airport, how do I tell what the latest weather is there? Well, no problem going into that Class B, C, or D airport because they most likely have an ATIS, tower, etc. So what's all this stuff about AWOS (or Automated Weather Observing System)? Automated weather reporting systems are increasingly being installed at airports. These systems consist of various sensors, a processor, a computer-generated voice subsystem, and a transmitter to broadcast local, minute-by-minute weather data directly to the pilot. The AWOS observations will include the prefix "AUTO"' to indicate that the data are derived from an automated system. Some AWOS locations will be augmented by certified observers who will provide weather and obstruction to vision information in the remarks of the report when the reported visibility is less than 3 miles. These sites, along with the hours of augmentation, are to be published in the Airport/Facility Directory. Augmentation is identified in the observation as "OBSERVER WEATHER". The AWOS wind speed, direction and gusts, temperature, dew point, and altimeter setting are exactly the same as for manual observations. The AWOS will also report density altitude when it exceeds the field elevation by more than 1,000 feet. The reported visibility is derived from a sensor near the touchdown of the primary instrument runway. The visibility sensor output is converted to a visibility value using a 10-minute harmonic average.

The reported sky condition/ceiling is derived from the ceilometer located next to the visibility sensor. The AWOS algorithm integrates the last 30 minutes of ceilometer data to derive cloud layers and heights. This output may also differ from the {manual} observer sky condition in that the AWOS is totally dependent upon the cloud advection over the sensor site.

These real-time systems are operationally classified into four basic levels: AWOS-A, AWOS-l, AWOS-2, and AWOS-3. AWOS-A only reports altimeter setting. AWOS-l usually reports altimeter setting, wind data, temperature, dewpoint, and density altitude. AWOS-2 provides the information provided by AWOS-l plus visibility. AWOS-3 provides the information provided by AWOS-2 plus cloud/ceiling data.

So a quick question for you charter pilots out there: Which AWOS system allows you to legally initiate an instrument approach to that airport? Corporate guys and G.A. take your pick.

________________________
Answer: AWOS-2

EVER BEEN "RAMP" CHECKED?

I received a copy of a humorous letter written by a pilot to the Oakland FSDO's SPM describing his recent "ramp" check by the courteous inspectors of the Fresno FSDO!

"I couldn't tell you about [my trip] without telling you that the trip began with a "Ramp Check" at Harris Ranch, that popular breakfast Oasis midway between where-are-we and nowhere. When we returned to the airplane from breakfast, there were about a dozen airplanes on the ramp, but there were only two souls on the field, standing under the wing of my airplane. I naturally thought they were admiring my fine airplane and I swelled with pride in the knowledge that of all the fine choices (Baron, etc.) they thought mine the finest. We exchanged "hello's" with no further words spoken. But when I unlocked the aircraft door, the trap was sprung. That's when the I.D.'s came out and the world came crashing around me. We were being "ramp checked". I had visions of a truck hauling my partially disassembled airplane back to its roosting place in Willits. That wasn't the case. After checking my certificate, medical, the airplane's registration, 16 year old airworthiness certificate and current W&B data sheet, the guys from Fresno were satisfied that we had enough paper on board to sufficiently lift the airplane off the ground and we were on our way. The funniest element of the story follows our check. As soon as our aircraft had been inspected, the FAA guys returned to their car, deposited their clipboards and entered the restaurant- presumably for breakfast. At that moment, a stampede erupted as well the pilots who had been hiding out in the restaurant converged on the field and got the hell out of there. I'm not kidding. We were sitting in our airplane with the engine running when one guy fired up, rolled out and took to the air ahead of us. Seems every other pilot knew of the arrival of the FAA, except us. We stumbled into the check (which caused absolutely no inconvenience) while all the rest hid out until the coast was clear. Naturally, if I had been wearing a Tee shirt with a picture of an airplane on the front, the other pilots would have recognized my [avocation] and issued the appropriate warning. That will teach me to go flying without proper attire.

SIC SAC
*Significant Information for* **Pilots**
RADIO TECHNIQUE Listen before you transmit. Many times you can get the information you want through ATIS or by monitoring the frequency. Except for a few situations where some frequency overlap occurs, if you hear someone else talking, the keying of your transmitter will be futile and you will probably jam their receivers, causing them to repeat their call. If you have just changed frequencies, pause, listen and make sure the frequency is clear. Think before keying your transmitter. Know what you want to say and if it is lengthy, e.g. a flight plan or IFR position report, jot it down. The microphone should be very close to you lips and after pressing the mike button, a slight pause may be necessary to be sure the first word is transmitted. Speak in a normal conversational tone. When you release the button, wait for a few seconds before calling again. The controller or FSS specialist may be jotting down your number, looking for your flight plan, transmitting on a different frequency, or selecting his transmitter to your frequency. Be alert to the sounds or lack of sounds in your receiver. Check your volume, recheck your frequency and make sure that your microphone is not stuck in the transmit position. Frequency blockage can, and has, occurred for extended periods of time due to unintentional transmitter operation. This type of interference is commonly referred to as a "stuck mike" and controllers may refer to it in this manner when attempting to assign an alternate frequency. If the assigned frequency is completely blocked by this type of interference, use the procedures described for en route IFR radio frequency outage, to establish or reestablish communications with ATC. Be sure that you are within the performance range of your radio equipment and the ground station equipment. Remote radio sites do not always transmit and receive on all of a facilities available frequencies, particularly with regard to VOR sites where you can hear but not reach a ground station's receiver. Remember that higher altitude increases the range of VHF "line of sight" communications.

IA Seminars

Inspection Authorization
Certificate Renewal
meeting locations are as
yet to be confirmed.
The probable locations will be
Redding, Vacaville, Chico,
and Sacramento.

San Jose Area

NorCal Maintenance Symposium

March 5th and 6th

Location: Sunnyvale Hilton Hotel
Contact: San Jose, Oakland, Sacramento FSDOs

Sacramento Area

IA Renewal Seminar

March 22
8:00 - 5:00 PM

Sponsor: Aviation & Electronic Schools of America
Location: Sacramento Executive Arpt, 6151 Freeport Blvd., Rm 169
Contact: Matt Williams 1-800-345-2742

Napa Area

IA Renewal Seminar

March 24
8:00 - 5:00 PM

Sponsor: Aviation & Electronic Schools of America
Location: IASCO Flight Center, 2000 Airport Rd, Napa
Contact: Chris Gardner 1-800-345-2742

Reno Area

Reno Maintenance Seminar

March 26th and 27th

Location: Reno Sands Hotel
Contact: Reno FSDO (775) 858-7700

End of
IA Seminars

***A Special Opportunity For All Pilots***
WINGS: An excellent way to gain proficiency. WINGS is the FAA Pilot Proficiency Award Program designed to encourage general aviation pilots to continue their training. It provides an opportunity to practice selected maneuvers in a minimum of instruction time. WINGS is an excellent opportunity for you to re-evaluate your flight proficiency and knowledge. If You're a Pilot, You're Eligible WINGS is open to all pilots holding a recreational certificate or higher with a current medical certificate, when required. After you've logged three hours of dual instruction under the program and attend at least one FAA-sanctioned safety seminar you will be eligible to receive and wear a distinctive set of WINGS. You will also receive a certificate of completion. Pilots: Your attendance at safety seminars fulfills one of the requirements of the Pilot Proficiency Award program (Wings Program). Completion of the requirements of the Wings Program, as outlined in Advisory Circular 61.91g, will qualify you to receive a Wings lapel pin and wall certificate. ADDITIONALLY, if you satisfactorily complete a phase of the Wings Program within the period specified by Section 61.56 of the Federal Aviation Regulations, you need not accomplish a biennial flight review. More Wings To Work For Each twelve month interval after earning your first set of WINGS you will be eligible for more WINGS. Each WINGS pin is specially designed to mark your additional progress. WINGS-The Sign of a Safe Pilot It's a fact - recurrent training makes a difference. Statistics show that pilots who participate in recurrent training programs such as WINGS, have a much better safety record than the pilots who do not. Earning your WINGS could have a positive impact on your aviation insurance costs. Be sure to inform your insurance agent of your commitment to the WINGS Program WORK FOR YOUR WINGS. THEY'RE WORTH A LOT MORE THAN THE TIME IT TAKES TO GET THEM.