FSS Phone Numbers for Cell Phone use

aloft

aloft

New Member
Everyone knows that the number to call an FSS is 1-800-WX-BRIEF, but what some of you may not know is that which FSS you're routed to is determined by the number you're calling from. Fine and dandy if you're on a landline or calling from your cell phone's local calling area, but what if you're far away from home?

My cell # has an 858 area code (San Diego, north county); it doesn't matter if I'm in San Diego or Buffalo, NY, every time I call 1-800-WX-BRIEF from my cell phone, I'm gonna be connected to the San Diego FSS because of my phone number. Not terribly useful when I'm not actually in San Diego.

Luckily, the FAA has published the numbers for all the FSSs, all toll-free if you've got one of those draconian cell plans without free long distance. And they are:

Code: 
AK FAIRBANKS         866-248-6516
AK JUNEAU            866-297-2236
AK KENAI             866-864-1737
AL ANNISTON          866-609-8684
AR JONESBORO         866-520-8890
AZ PRESCOTT          866-226-3763
CA HAWTHORNE         866-879-8252
CA OAKLAND           866-469-7828
CA RANCHO MURRIETA   866-272-7525
CA RIVERSIDE         866-838-2250
CA SAN DIEGO         866-682-2175
CO DENVER            866-751-7021
CT BRIDGEPORT        866-293-5149
FL GAINSVILLE        866-523 7229
FL MIAMI             866-347-0316
FL ST PETERSBURG     866-295-3983
GA MACON             866-276-0243
HI HONOLULU          866-766-0820
IA FORT DODGE        866-300-2858
ID BOISE             866-258-9068
IL KANKAKEE          866-450-6593
IN TERRE HAUTE       866-224-9906
KS WICHITA           866-672-5145
KY LOUISVILLE        866-412-7968
LA DERIDDER          866-401-5659
ME BANGOR            866-295-3835
MI LANSING           866-879-4066
MN PRINCETON         866-841-6469
MO COLUMBIA          866-223-4352
MO ST. LOUIS         866-671-6176
MS GREENWOOD         866-245-6109
MT GREAT FALLS       866-527-7601
NC RALEIGH           866-663-3354
ND GRAND FORKS       866-306-6931
NE COLUMBUS          866-288-3448
NJ MILLVILLE         866-225-7620
NM ALBURQUERQUE      866-449-5390
NV RENO              866-281-2737
NY BUFFALO           866-678-2759
NY ISLIP             866-365-5019
OH CLEVELAND         866-780-8261
OH DAYTON            866-505-6163
OK MCALESTER         866-269-0189
OR MCMINNVILLE       866-833-7631
PA ALTOONA           866-708-9987
PA WILLIAMSPORT      866-655-6434
PR SAN JUAN          866-822-8537
SC ANDERSON          866-225-2172
SD HURON             866-732-1331
TN JACKSON           866-840-1051
TN NASHVILLE         866-890-1348
TX CONROE            866-689-5992
TX FORT WORTH        866-272-7915
TX SAN ANGELO        866-300-3867
UT CEDAR CITY        866-667-3858
VA LEESBURG          866-225-7410
VT BURLINGTION       866-847-1846
WA SEATTLE           866-384-7323
WI GREENBAY          866-845-4888
WV ELKINS            866-656-2661
WY CASPER            866-277-7498

I'm also attaching an Excel file containing these for your use. [Edit: well, I was gonna attach it, but .xls files are not a permitted file type....sigh.]
 
Thanks for the post. I figured this fact out last month when shooting a GPS to near minimums, with a citation waiting to be released behind us. For some reason I couldn't reach approach, clearance, or fss from the ground very well so needed to call up. They said that they couldn't close the plan from there, and took about a minute to give me the number I needed to call, all while this citation was in the air waiting ($&$* privatization). Luckily for the jet, I had the citation relay to approach that we were on the gound so they had already been cleared for the approach the whole time, but it illustrates the problem. Why can't some of the those millions be spent networking the computers of all FSS locations?
 
aloft said:
I'm also attaching an Excel file containing these for your use. [Edit: well, I was gonna attach it, but .xls files are not a permitted file type....sigh.]
Click to expand...
for those that want the excel file - just PM aloft your email address and he'll send it!:nana2:
 
Good gouge to pass, Aloft. Another thing that many folks don't know is that sometimes there is a discrete clearance Delivery frequency. It'll often expedite the relay of your IFR clearance and release. A couple times, I've even been told by a Flight Service Briefer "that I need to call a different number".

Those are also sometimes available in the AFD, or from your friendly local controller!!
 
Oh man I hate calling WX BRIEF with my 619 area code on my cell phone and while I'm here in Grand Forks I get "Welcome to the San Diego Flight Service Station, where it's sunny and 76 degrees and where it's crappy where you're at in North Dakota. If you are familar with security package Yankee Doodle, stay on the line to reach the next available weather briefer."

Now I can dial direct to Princeton! (Since they shut down Grand Forks FSS...:()
 
BrettInLJ said:
Why can't some of the those millions be spent networking the computers of all FSS locations?
Click to expand...

actually, any FSS computer in any state can access the entire system. I've filed a flight plan to and from airports in FL from my cell with Hawthorne FSS in Los Angeles. It just becomes difficult for the briefer to know local airport identifiers, routes and weather patterns. It can be done though.....
 
Yea, one time I got stuck using Fort Dodge (IA) FSS to file and get briefed between Georgia and Alabama.

A also always used to play musical flight service stations in Florida. When I was stuck on hold with one of them I'd call one of the others.

Mike
 
Thanks for the info aloft! Now, say if you are cross county and you dial WX-BRIEF...you get the FSS associated with your area code, right? Are they willing to transfer you to the appropriate FSS? Or, as some of you commented, do they assist you with the weather brief and flight plan?
 
launchpad said:
actually, any FSS computer in any state can access the entire system. .... It just becomes difficult for the briefer to know local airport identifiers, routes and weather patterns.
Click to expand...

True, however, they don't get local NOTAMs. This is why--even though they can do it--filing a flight plan from Pittsburg to Philadelphia with the San Diego FSS is a bad idea.
 
aloft said:
True, however, they don't get local NOTAMs. This is why--even though they can do it--filing a flight plan from Pittsburg to Philadelphia with the San Diego FSS is a bad idea.
Click to expand...


actually, there is a way they can get them, but they don't pop up as part of the standard briefing interface they use.......i had St. Pete FSS in FL pull up a hypothetical wx briefing for california airports for a student while they were giving us a tour and we saw that the local stuff didn't come up. The guy spent a couple minutes pushing buttons and out they came.......
 
launchpad said:
actually, there is a way they can get them, but they don't pop up as part of the standard briefing interface they use. ... The guy spent a couple minutes pushing buttons and out they came.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think I'd rather just call the local FSS and not waste the airtime listening to a couple minutes of button-pushing. YMMV.
 
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