12/2/21
AIM
Chapter 5. Air Traffic Procedures
Section 1. Preflight
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1. Preflight Preparation
a.
Prior to every flight, pilots should gather all
information vital to the nature of the flight, assess
whether the flight would be safe, and then file a flight
plan. Pilots can receive a regulatory compliant
briefing without contacting Flight Service. Pilots are
encouraged to use automated resources and review
Advisory Circular AC 91
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92, Pilot’s Guide to a
Preflight Briefing, for more information. Pilots who
prefer to contact Flight Service are encouraged to
conduct a self
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brief prior to calling. Conducting a
self
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brief before contacting Flight Service provides
familiarity of meteorological and aeronautical
conditions applicable to the route of flight and
promotes a better understanding of weather informa-
tion.
Pilots may access Flight Service
through
www.1800wxbrief.com or by calling
1
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800
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WX
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BRIEF. Flight planning applications are
also available for conducting a self
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briefing and
filing flight plans.
NOTE
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Alaska only: Pilots filing flight plans via “fast file” who
desire to have their briefing recorded, should include a
statement at the end of the recording as to the source of
their weather briefing.
b.
The information required by the FAA to process
flight plans is obtained from FAA Form 7233
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4,
International Flight Plan. Only DOD users, and
civilians who file stereo route flight plans, may use
FAA Form 7233
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1, Flight Plan.
NOTE
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FAA and DOD Flight Plan Forms are equivalent. Where
the FAA specifies Form 7233
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1, Flight Plan and FAA Form
7233
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4, International Flight Plan, the DOD may
substitute their Form DD 175, Military Flight Plan and
Form DD
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1801, DOD International Flight Plan as
necessary. NAS automation systems process and convert
data in the same manner, although for computer
acceptance, input fields may be adjusted to follow FAA
format.
c.
FSSs are required to advise of pertinent
NOTAMs if a
standard
briefing is requested, but if
they are overlooked, do not hesitate to remind the
specialist that you have not received NOTAM
information. Additionally, FSS briefers do not
provide FDC NOTAM information for special
instrument approach procedures unless specifically
asked. Pilots authorized by the FAA to use special
instrument approach procedures must specifically
request FDC NOTAM information for these
procedures. Pilots who receive the information
electronically will receive NOTAMs for special IAPs
automatically.
NOTE
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Domestic Notices and International Notices are not
provided during a briefing unless specifically requested by
the pilot since the FSS specialist has no way of knowing
whether the pilot has already checked the Federal NOTAM
System (FNS) NOTAM Search website external links prior
to calling. Airway NOTAMs, procedural NOTAMs, and
NOTAMs that are general in nature and not tied to a
specific airport/facility (for example, flight advisories and
restrictions, open duration special security instructions,
and special flight rules areas) are briefed solely by pilot
request. Remember to ask for these notices if you have not
already reviewed this information, and to request all
pertinent NOTAMs specific to your flight.
REFERENCE
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AIM, Para 5
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1
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3, Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) System.
d.
Pilots are urged to use only the latest issue of
aeronautical charts in planning and conducting flight
operations. Aeronautical charts are revised and
reissued on a regular scheduled basis to ensure that
depicted data are current and reliable. In the
conterminous U.S., Sectional Charts are updated
every 6 months, IFR En Route Charts every 56 days,
and amendments to civil IFR Approach Charts are
accomplished on a 56
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day cycle with a change notice
volume issued on the 28
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day midcycle. Charts that
have been superseded by those of a more recent date
may contain obsolete or incomplete flight informa-
tion.
REFERENCE
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AIM, Paragraph 9
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1
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4, General Description of Each Chart Series
e.
When requesting a preflight briefing, identify
yourself as a pilot and provide the following:
1.
Type of flight planned; e.g., VFR or IFR.
2.
Aircraft’s number or pilot’s name.
3.
Aircraft type.
Preflight
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