As weather forecasting evolves, so do the means by which we receive the information. Pilots once got aviation routine meteorological reports (METARs), terminal aerodrome forecasts (TAFs), and all other pertinent weather products by telephone or in person from a weather briefer. They still can, and do, by calling 800-WX-BRIEF. Numerous FAA flight service stations in Alaska offer walk-in briefings with flight service specialists, because cell and internet coverage in the forty-ninth state can be lacking.
Now pilots can get weather delivered to a laptop or an electronic flight bag such as ForeFlight Mobile or Garmin Pilot. Weather by SMS text message has been around at least since 2007, with Google, TextMetar.com, WxbyTXT.com, and others allowing pilots to get texts sent to mobile phones.
Leidos Flight Service, the company that provides approved weather information for the FAA, continues to march into the future. Recently the company announced it would provide Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice skills so that pilots can ask Alexa or “Hey Google” their devices and get METARs, TAFs, aviation forecast discussions at an airport, and adverse condition updates.
Leidos also unveiled its own spin on weather-by-text-message. Send a text to 358-782 with “MT” (for METAR) followed by the four-letter ICAO identifier of an airport. Add “PT” to the message and it will come in plain text. If a TAF is available, that will be sent too. Quiz yourself by requesting an untranslated METAR and deciphering the codes. Then request the same METAR in plain text. Were you close?
