Common Checkride Issues, Volume 3 - Legal Weather Briefings

Ok. I know. Anything that starts with the word "Legal" is not going to be the height of entertainment. But bear with me, because we also get to talk Advisory Circulars! Honestly, though, this is a very important topic not just for your checkride but for every flight you take. 

The issue starts with the amazingly vague FAR 91.103 - Preflight Action. This section tells us "Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become familiar with all available information concerning that flight." It goes on to detail a few other requirements, but for the most part it's a very open-ended regulation. Perhaps on purpose?

So can I just visit AviationWeather.gov for my wx information, Airnav.com for my runways, obstacles, and NOTAMS, and TFR.FAA.gov or SkyVector for flight restrictions? If you're operating under part 121 or 135 the answer is definitely no. Under part 91, the answer isn't so clear. 

Technically, yes, you can fly with only those resources (or none at all). But what happens if there's an incident, accident, deviation, ramp check, or anything else to cause the FAA to look more deeply into your preflight actions? How will you prove compliance with 103, especially if the incident/deviation was related to something you should have known about ahead of time?

This is where Advisory Circular 00-45 comes into play. 

While it's not required for 91, this AC provides some excellent information to keep you safe and legal. This is also where resources like Flight Service Stations, www.fltplan.com/FltPlanGo, ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot, www.1800wxbrief.com, and others become incredibly useful. 

Through all of these, your due diligence is tracked by login, PIC name, tail number, and/or route (provided you use the flight brief/nav log function). This provides you, the pilot in command, at least some cover if the unfortunate happens.  

So how about checkride day? All of the ACSs (ACSes? ACSii?) require the applicant to "use available weather resources to obtain an adequate weather briefing" and make a go/no-go decision. Do you think it's best to use a smattering of untracked websites, or a verifiable briefing provider that will ensure you won't miss any important details? And never underestimate the benefits of calling Flight Service!