Dispatch 174
Yamal - Russian Arktika-class nuclear-powered icebreaker » Sigurdur Jonsson
ACL Gift Guide 2021 » A Continuous Lean
He wondered if his detail fetish was harming others. If he should try to be less detail oriented. [...] "These details matter to me to such an extent" he explained, "that I'm willing to endure any consequences as a result of having committed to these ridiculous details, and it feels like I can't help it." » The Spirited Man - "Why Do Details Matter?"
Cool Tools: A Catalog of Possibilities [$3.99 PDF] » Kevin Kelly
There is no one I have less in common with than the me who wrote my Facebook statuses circa 2008 » Asher Perlman
Checking the Weather
I can’t recall where I found this photo but it speaks the truth.
The examples below may link or reference Indianapolis. Change the location as appropriate. And thanks to Lydia for some great tips and helping me put this list together.
Start Small
Check METARs and TAFs at the airport you're planning for as well as a few others surrounding the area.
Go Big
Look at Prognostic and Surface Analysis Charts on the Aviation Weather Center— What's causing the weather or what weather is on the way
Read over the Aviation Forecast Discussion
Check Other Sources
Check Winds Aloft/Temps Data— Looking for strong winds and temperature inversions
Check Graphical AIRMETs and SIGMETs
Look for severe weather and convection activity
Review any PIREPs
Check the NWS Hourly Weather Forecast
1800wxbrief
It should go without saying that getting a weather brief from 1800wxbrief is highly recommend. Whether you call or visit the website, get one.
Preflight Briefings– IFR Magazine "Today, the Internet gives us myriad-mostly informal-sources to figure out the weather for our flight. Here's what to look for as you brief the weather."
P.S. wttr is a fun 3-day view of the forecasted weather. It can also do a bunch of other neat stuff. See GitHub.
P.P.S. There's no such thing as a "legal" weather brief.
Got your CFI certificate, now what?
🎉 Congrats on passing your CFI ride!
Here's a [work in progress] of some things you should do, or consider doing. In no particular order and not exhaustive.
Take TSA Recurrent Security Awareness Training (1 example, King Schools)
Setup TSA/DHS Alien Flight Student Program account
Buy a bunch of cheap tiny logbooks (for when you do Discovery Flights)
Sign up for SAFE (33% ForeFlight discount)
Sign up for NAFI (33% ForeFlight discount)
Add IACRA Role
Update WINGS Profile
Get Gold Seal Ground School (free)
Join The Finer Points CFI Club (free)
Get WingX (free)
Check out Instructair
Check out CheckrideHQ
Check out FltPages
Bookmark Sporty's eFIRC (free)
5 tools for flight instructors at Sporty's CFI Portal (free)
Keep an eye out for any updates on my Basecamp.