A word up front: I'd recommend to call a Briefer (the FSS) whenever possible to get the added amount of safety for your flight. To the Advantages of filing a flight plan in the first place (see How-to make a flight plan for more info)  there is the added value of having a second (trained) opinion on the flight situation (e.g. the weather, ATC conditions, NOTAMS, PIREPS, etc.).

You can reach a briefer with the FSS (Flight Service Station) by calling:

800-WX-BRIEF (800-992-7433)

And here's what is going to happen when you do so:

Note: Have all your flight data ready and available when calling to make the call hassle-free.

You're directed to a menu. You can either use voice recognition and say "Briefer" then you will be asked for your State, so for example say "Oregon" if you're in Oregon.

Or you can use shortcodes to enter via your keypad. So you press "1" for Briefer and dial in your state's number code. For Oregon that would be "67" which stands for "OR" on your keypad.

You can find a full list of all states' codenumbers on the bottom of this page.

Tell the Briefer that you would like to file 1 (or other number) VFR (or IFR or Both) Flight Plan.

Note: To increase accuracy of your flight planning it is a good habit to file one flight plan for each Leg that is concluded by a full-stop landing - e.g. if you are flying to an airport A to refill before you fly back to Airport B it is good to file the first flight plan from B to A and a second from A back to B.

Now he needs to know your flight plan Information. If you use the FlightPlan Form provided on this homepage you are going to tell him the information listed in the "FAA FORM" box following the sequence given on the form.

Download the Flightplan form here for free!

If you are not using the Form, then here is the sequence of information he needs from you:

• Type of Flight (VFR,IFR, DVFR)
  
• Aircraft ID
  
• Aircraft Type
  
• True Airspeed
  
• Departure Point
  
• Departure Time (in UTC)
  
• Cruising Altitude
  
• Route of Flight
  
• Destination
  
• Est. Time en Route
  
• Remarks
  
• Fuel on board (hr:min)
  
• Alternate(s)
  
• Pilot
  
• Number aboard
  
• Color of Aircraft
  
• Destination Contact

Now he is going to ask you if and what kind of Briefing you would like to have.

There are 3 different kinds of briefing:

Standard Briefing The one you will use most. It provides current and forecast weather, adverse conditions, winds aloft, NOTAMS, and temporary flight restrictions (TFRs).

Outlook Briefing this gives you a synopsis of expected weather and flight restrictions more than six hours out and up to five days ahead.

Abbreviated Briefing you can use this right before the flight to get an updated briefing based on a previously received Standard briefing.

There is a sequence of things the briefer will tell you in a Standard Briefing. I recommend you use the BriefingForm with preset fields for these informations provided on this homepage to ease the procedure.

Download the Briefing form here for free!

Adverse Conditions:

Meteorological or aeronautical conditions reported or forecast that might influence the pilot to alter the proposed flight. Conditions that are particularly significant, such as low level wind shear, thunderstorms, reported icing, frontal zones along the route of flight, airport/runway closure NOTAMs, air traffic delays, etc. Weather advisories (WS, WA, WST, CWA, and AWW) are given by stating the type of advisory followed by the pertinent information.

Example: ‘An AIRMET is in effect until 1400 for possible moderate turbulence below 10,000 feet over the mountainous area of southern California.”

VFR flight not recommended:

When VFR flight is proposed and sky conditions or visibilities are present or forecast, surface or aloft, that in the briefer's judgment would make flight under visual flight rules doubtful he is going to tell you this.

Example: ‘‘V−F−Rflight is not recommended in the Seattle area until early afternoon. The current weather at Seattle is indefinite ceiling three hundred sky obscured, visibility one, mist, and little improvement is expected before one eight zero zero ZULU.”

Synopsis:

A brief statement describing the type, location, and movement of weather systems and/or air masses which might affect the proposed flight. This element may be combined with adverse conditions and/or the VNR element, in any order, when it will help to more clearly describe conditions.

Current Conditions:

Summarize from all available sources reported weather conditions applicable to the flight. This element may be omitted if the proposed time of departure is beyond 2 hours unless the information is requested by the pilot.

En Route Forecast:

Summary from appropriate data applicable to the proposed flight; for example, area forecasts, TAFs, prognosis charts, weather advisories, etc. This information is provided in a logical order; for example, climb out, en route, and descent.

Destination Forecast:

The destination forecast including significant changes expected within 1 hour before and after the ETA.

Winds Aloft:

Forecast winds aloft for the proposed route using degrees of the compass. Temperature information provided on request.

Notices to Airmen (NOTAM):

(a)All NOTAMs (D), including Special Use Airspace (SUA) NOTAMs for Restricted Areas, Aerial Refueling, and Night Vision Goggles (NVG).

(b) Prohibited Areas P−40, P−49, P−56 and the Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) for Washington, DC.

(c) Flight Data Center (FDC) NOTAMs not already carried in the Notices to Airmen publication.

ATC Delays:

Informs the pilot of ATC delays and/or flow control advisories that might affect the proposed flight.

Request for PIREPs:

Included if, in the briefer's judgment, a report of actual inflight conditions is beneficial or when conditions meet criteria for solicitation of PIREPs. Pilot is advised to contact Flight Watch or Flight Service to report en route conditions.

EFAS:

When appropriate, informs pilots of the availability of Flight Watch for weather updates; e.g., thunderstorms, icing.

Upon Request:

Provides any information requested by the pilot, including, but not limited to:

(a) Special Use Airspace, except those listed in paragraph 3−2−1b8(a), SUA related airspace (i.e., Air Traffic Control Assigned Airspace (ATCAA)) and military training route (MTR) activity. For all SUA and MTR data requests, advise the pilot that information may be updated periodically and to contact the appropriate ATC facility for additional information while in flight.

Note: For the purpose of this paragraph, SUA and related airspace includes the following types of airspace: Alert Area, Military Operations Area (MOA), Warning Area and Air Traffic Control Assigned Airspace (ATCAA). MTR data includes the following types of airspace: IFR Training Routes (IR), VFR Training Routes (VR),and Slow Training Routes (SR).

(b) Approximate density altitude data.

(c) Information regarding such items as air traffic service and rules, customs/immigration procedures, ADIZ rules, SAR, Flight Watch, etc.

(d) LORAN C NOTAMs.

(e) Military NOTAMs. REFERENCE−

FAAO JO 7930.2 Para 8−3−1, Military NOTAM Availability.

(f) GPS Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) Aeronautical Information. RAIM information shall be provided 1−hour before to 1−hour after the ETA, or a time frame requested by the pilot.

(g) Runway friction measurement NOTAMs. (h) Special FDC instrument approach

procedure changes.