Flight briefing: NOTAMs, METAR and TAF for your route – decoded and valid for your departure time
BriefingPal collects everything to read before a VFR flight: METAR and TAF of your airfields, NOTAMs in the corridor of the route, SIGMET and AIRMET, model weather at the planned departure time, rain radar, satellite image and webcams – and compiles it with performance and route into one PDF.
A good weather briefing answers three questions: can I depart, can I get through, can I land? BriefingPal answers them along the route: for departure, destination and alternate the METAR and TAF are loaded and decoded; in between, the weather model and the GRAMET-style profile show cloud bases, visibility, wind and freezing level at departure time – not at the time of retrieval. Flight categories (VFR, MVFR, IFR) are colour-coded.
NOTAMs are loaded for the route corridor and plotted on the map: cranes, closed runways, active areas, airspace changes – with original text and plain-language decoding. In addition there are SIGMET/AIRMET areas, the MeteoSwiss rain radar, the satellite image and webcams at airfields and passes.
How it works
- Airfields and departure timeWith the route the airfields are set; the time slider defines the moment for which model weather and profile are computed.
- Read METAR and TAFRaw text and decoding side by side; wind, visibility, clouds, temperature and QNH feed directly into the performance calculation.
- NOTAMs along the routeNOTAMs in the corridor on the map, with original and plain text; active areas and closures are considered in routing.
- Briefing PDFWeather, NOTAMs, weight & balance, takeoff/landing distances, route and nav log in one document – to take into the cockpit.
Example from the app
Example: NOTAM decoded
This is how a NOTAM appears in BriefingPal: original and plain text side by side, the position as a marker on the map – here a crane between Zurich and Altenrhein, 230 ft above ground.
B1698/26 NOTAMN Q) LSAS/QOBCE/IV/M/AE/000/030/4728N00852E001 A) LSAS B) 2610130600 C) 2610201600 E) CRANE ERECTED PSN 472800N0085200E HGT 230FT AGL ELEV 1840FT AMSL. MARKED AND LGTD.
Crane erected at 47°28'N 008°52'E, height 230 ft above ground, 1,840 ft above mean sea level. Marked and lighted. Valid 13 Oct 06:00 UTC to 20 Oct 16:00 UTC.
What the briefing contains
METAR and TAF worldwide
Current reports from the Aviation Weather Center data set, decoded; flight category per airfield, TAF time window at departure.
NOTAM briefing
NOTAMs from the FAA database for airfields and route corridor, decoded, with validity and position on the map.
Model weather at departure time
ICON-D2 and ICON-CH for the Alps, ICON-EU, ECMWF and GFS worldwide – clouds, visibility, wind, gusts, freezing level.
GRAMET-style profile
Vertical weather cross-section along the route with terrain, flight profile, clouds and visibility – for every point of the track.
Radar, satellite, webcams
MeteoSwiss rain radar with time loop, satellite image, webcams at airfields and passes – all on the planning map.
SIGMET and AIRMET
Warning areas for turbulence, icing, thunderstorms and mountain waves on the map, with validity times.
Frequently asked questions
What belongs in a VFR weather briefing?
At least the METAR and TAF of departure, destination and alternate, the en-route weather situation (cloud bases, visibility, wind, freezing level, thunderstorms), SIGMET/AIRMET as well as trend and time window. BriefingPal compiles these elements along the route and for the planned departure time.
How do I read METAR and TAF?
A METAR is the current observation at an aerodrome, a TAF the forecast for 9 to 30 hours. Both use a fixed code (wind, visibility, weather, clouds, temperature/dew point, QNH, trend). BriefingPal shows raw text and plain language side by side and marks the flight category (VFR, MVFR, IFR, LIFR).
Where do the NOTAMs come from?
From the FAA NOTAM database (worldwide, refreshed every 10 minutes). NOTAMs of the selected airfields and in the corridor of the route are shown; the original text is decoded. The official briefing of the air navigation service provider remains binding.
Which weather model does BriefingPal use?
ICON-D2 and ICON-CH for the Alps, ICON-EU across Europe, ECMWF and GFS worldwide; the data are prepared on BriefingPal's own weather server. The model is selectable and the source is shown with every value.
Can I save the briefing as a PDF?
Yes. One click produces a briefing PDF with weight & balance, takeoff and landing distances, climb, route with map, weather, NOTAMs and navigation log – for printing or for the tablet.
Does BriefingPal replace the official briefing?
No. BriefingPal is a planning aid and compiles public sources. The official briefing services of air traffic control and the meteorological service as well as the AIP and NOTAMs in the original remain binding.
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