1) Your aircraft is now on record.

When you get a weather briefing, your tail number is recorded on file. And in addition to getting all the weather information for your flight, if you were to have an incident or accident, the NTSB will know you actually received a weather briefing .

2) The weather charts, reports and forecasts give you information that helps you to create a detailed mental picture.

Weather charts are more advanced than ever. Convective outlooks and forecasts help you understand where unstable weather is most likely to be. And CIP icing charts are able to predict areas where icing is probable, the severity of the icing, and the altitudes where it's most likely to occur. Having the data helps you make smart and safe decisions.

3) Calling a flight briefer can cover areas that you might have missed.

While all the charts are useful, there's a lot to look at. By calling a weather briefer, you can cover areas you might have missed or overlooked on your own.

4) Talking to a flight briefer gives you a second opinion.

When you call a briefer, they're able to use their experience to help determine whether or not a particular flight may be worth canceling. We've all heard the words "VFR flight not recommended". If you're not instrument rated, it probably means it's time to stay on the ground.

5) You can request more information with a flight briefer on areas of concern.

Whether it's an active TFR that you are unsure about, or an unauthorized approach for an airport, a weather briefer is able to gather more details and inside information on areas that might affect your flight.

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