Air To Ground
PILOT PROFILE
With the current plethora of online self-briefing options and the desire to continue to enhance service to pilots, Lockheed Martin Flight Services has searched for ways to save pilots valuable time when requesting a pilot weather briefing or filing a flight plan.
Developing tools intended to attract a technologically savvy customer base, Lockheed Martin created a method for the pilots to obtain their requested weather briefings with less repetitive information provided to the specialist. It gives the briefers pre-stored information to provide a faster response to the pilot’s needs. The pilot profile is a data storage system designed to keep information on file in the flight service computers. Every time you file a flight plan there is data that is fixed and repetitive. This usually includes the aircraft call sign, type, and equipment, fuel on board, pilot name, phone number and home base.
Having this information pre-stored saves time during filing. The pilot profile also stores more complete data on emergency contacts. More than one aircraft can be stored, and a pilot who flies the same route over and over can save those flight plans for easy retrieval by the specialist.
Calling flight service from a stored phone number automatically inserts the pre-stored data into a flight plan mask. Only the new information or changes in the flight are provided to the specialist.
You can file a pilot profile by calling the pilot briefing line 1-800-WXBRIEF. The best time to file one is in the evenings – after 5:00 p.m. local time, when general call volume is lighter and you are less likely to compete with fellow pilots preparing to fly. Advise the specialist you would like to file a pilot profile. They will ask you a series of questions covering all the data you choose to add.
One question you may be asked is your certificate number. This was designed to be an easy way to bring up your information originally, but that plan was abandoned when it was discovered that the older certificate numbers were also U.S. Social Security numbers. This box can be left blank since the specialist can search for a profile by using either the pilot’s name or any phone number used on the profile, or you can create one – such as a user name.
If your last name is common, specialists may end up scrolling through a long list. I suggest that you choose a “certificate” number easy for you to remember. If you are the sole owner of an aircraft, use that tail number. (Do not use it if multiple pilots use the same aircraft or if you own multiple aircraft.) Another option is to use your last name and a number, such as an area code. An example would be Smith505.
Whatever phone numbers you provide for the pilot profile will stimulate your information to drop into a flight plan mask. Your cell phone, home or office phone can be used, but only if you are the only pilot calling from those numbers. Whenever someone uses a “common source” phone number, such as an FBO number, data overload was occurring because that number could be used by numerous pilots. For that reason, FBO numbers are not accepted.
Keep in mind that flight service still provides a comprehensive briefing service to the flying public free of charge. All data used through the internet is generated initially by the same sources, such as the national weather service, the national NOTAM office and the FAA. Many pilots using these sources limit their research to current and forecast data at the destination stations, and frequently overlook en route information that is critical to a complete understanding of the challenges they will be facing.
The briefing specialists at flight service study the fluctuating weather conditions continuously during their shifts. Pilots are encouraged to learn as much as they can from all sources prior to flight. Even if you like to use the internet and television to sketch a general overview of the weather, call flight service to fill in the picture. You can call for an abbreviated briefing to get one or two items, such as NOTAMs, at your destination. Flight Service is required to ensure you have the adverse conditions and temporary flight restrictions as well.
Flight Service has changed considerably during the past few years, but the mission remains the same – to enhance the safe and efficient flow of air traffic. Most of the briefers are not just talking to the aviation community. As pilots, meteorologists, search and rescue volunteers, balloonists, CFI’s and more, they are part of the aviation community.
Lockheed has begun a series of pilot seminars at their hub facilities called “Operation Take-off.” Pilots can visit the facility and sit with the specialists on duty as they work the briefing, radio, and flight watch positions. To find out when the next seminars will take place, check the latest SPANS events schedule at http://www.faasafety.gov or contact the facility of your choice at the following phone numbers:
• DC Hub – Ashburn, Virginia (northwest of IAD) 703-723-5241
• Fort Worth Hub – Fort Worth, Texas (east of AFW) 817-541-3453
• Prescott Hub – Prescott Valley, Arizona (PRC) 928-583-6112
Rose Marie Kern has worked in ATC since 1983. To ask questions you can contact her email at author@rosemariekern.com.