Getting a weather briefing and making the go/no-go call

Regulations require you to become familiar with weather reports and forecasts before a flight away from the vicinity of an airport (14 CFR 91.103). How you get it is up to you: Flight Service (1-800-WX-BRIEF or 1800wxbrief.com), the FAA's aviationweather.gov, or an approved app.

Types of Flight Service briefings

• Standard: the full picture when you haven't received any weather yet.
• Abbreviated: to update an earlier briefing or get specific items.
• Outlook: when you're departing 6 or more hours from now; useful for planning.

A logical order

1. The big picture: surface analysis and prog charts. Where are the fronts and pressure systems going?
2. Hazards: AIRMETs, SIGMETs, convective outlooks, TFRs and NOTAMs.
3. Current conditions: METARs, radar, satellite and PIREPs along the route.
4. Forecasts: TAFs for departure, destination and alternates; GFA for en route; winds aloft for choosing an altitude.

Personal minimums

Legal VFR minimums are low. Personal minimums are the limits you set for yourself, based on your experience, and decide on before you look at the weather, so you're not tempted to talk yourself into it. A new private pilot might set something like a 3,000-foot ceiling, 5 miles of visibility and a crosswind limit below the airplane's demonstrated value. Talk with your CFI to set yours.