1-800-wx-brief

TurdBird

TurdBird

Well-Known Member
1-800-WX-BRIEF has sucked ever since they switched over to Lockheed Martin. I thought things would get smoother as time went on but I honestly think things have gone downhill. I don't know if it's me but I have had such difficulties dealing with them. Has anyone else had any issues with them or is it just me?
 
Yeah. I mentioned in another thread that they have a tendency to not close flight plans when you call them and ask them to. Also they seem to be real moody and grouchy. AND their briefs take forever. I told you I'm in a Cessna 150, I really don't need pireps from MD-80s at fl250
 
Honestly, I don't believe there is anything WX-BRIEF can give you that isn't easily accessible on the internet. Unless you're out in Podunk, USA without the net, I see no reason to waste my time.

Go ahead and tell me its the only way to ensure you're on record for having received a flight briefing. I'm ready for it...
 
I avoid Lock-Mart flight service whenever possible. I've had repeated issues varying from trivial (TMI during weather briefs) to aggravating (lost IFR flight plans) to the unbelieveable and dangerous (not providing the correct times for an airport closure in a TFR). I now exclusively self brief using a combination of DUAT and other sources unless I have absolutely no web access. If I have any question on something I see during my self brief, I'll call flight service, but it doesn't happen often.
 
I never really have any problems but I mostly go online since most of the flights I've done lately are pretty short. All of the ones I've had were pretty friendly too. (Except when somebody was yelling obscenities in the background while I was getting a briefing once.) ;)
 
I have had my flight plan disappear more than once, and I don't even go IFR that often. I always love getting the phone call from them after VFR flight plans with my students.

Them: "Ummm... we have been trying to reach you."
Me: " I was flying"
Them: "We almost sent S&R"
Me: "I called over an hour ago to close the flight plan"
Them: "Oh, OK"
 
Landed at a podunk airport in WV after shooting an approach to minimums in a non-radar environment with poor radio coverage. Since I didn't get a phone number from ATC, I made the mistake of thinking that the fastest way to cancel my IFR would be by calling Lock-Mart. Called their dedicated IFR clearance number (888-766-8267), and waited on hold for 10 minutes. Meanwhile a guy drives up in a truck to tell me that ATC called him asking if I was on the ground, and he told him I was, so the flight plan got cancelled. That's when flight service finally answered, "Lockheed Martin Flight Service, can I help you?". "Sorry, no. I got what I needed while I was on hold." Not exactly efficient.
 
I agree on the TMI, which is why I usually just ask for an abbreviated briefing.

It is also very redundant, but my instructor makes me do it.
 
You still get a salty old dog occasionally who can do more in 5 minutes than the rest of the morons can do in their standard 30 minute "uhhhh" briefing. But not often.

I call to make sure I'm on record as having called, but I ask for an abbreviated briefing consisting of NOTAMs and TFRs. And nothing else. And it still takes too long.

And yes, flight plans drop out inexplicably all the time. These are CANNED flight plans, too. So you know they're going in.
 
Never had any problems or long waits to get a briefer...I usually get my weather from other sources, so I only use them to file.
 
They go on for over a half hour with a ton of NOTAMS then at the end they say...wait never mind those are not till next week. I was put on hold the other day for 20 mins so I hung up and called back. The SAME lady picked up and put me back on hold. I once asked for the notams around a certain airport and he said "what kind" so i responded with all affecting my flight and he goy snippy and said "theres ofer 150 of them". Some of the guys are jerks, ive had a few very helpful people, most of them were women.
 
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