Section 3. Telephone Information Briefing Service (TIBS) for Automated Flight Service Stations (AFSS)

2-3-1. GENERAL

a.TIBS provides a continuous telephone recording of meteorological and/or aeronautical information.

1.TIBS shall contain:

(a)Area and/or route briefings.

(b)Airspace procedures, if applicable.

(c)Special announcements, if applicable.

2.TIBS should also contain, but not be limited to:

(a)Surface observations (METARs).

(b)Terminal forecasts (TAFs).

(c) Winds/temperatures aloft forecasts.

NOTE-
User needs should dictate the content of these recordings.

b.Each AFSS shall provide at least four route and/or area briefings. As a minimum, area briefings should encompass a 50 NM radius. Each briefing should require the pilot to access no more than two channels which shall be route and/or area specific. Pilots shall have access to NOTAM data through one of the following:

1.Area or route briefings.

2.On separate channels which are designated specifically for NOTAM.

3.By access to a briefer.

c.Separate channels shall be designated for each route, area, local meteorological/aeronautical information, special event, airspace procedures, etc.

EXAMPLE-
201 Houston local area (75 NMR)
202 Houston to New Orleans
203 Houston to Brownsville
204 Houston to Midland
205 Houston to Dallas/Ft. Worth
206 Houston area surface observations
207 Houston area terminal forecasts
208 Houston to Shreveport
209-224 (Facility discretion as user needs
dictate)

2-3-2. AREA/ROUTE BRIEFING PROCEDURES

Service is provided 24 hours a day, but may be reduced in accordance with para 2-1-4. Recorded information shall be updated as conditions change; e.g., conditions improve from IFR to MVFR or from MVFR to VFR, or conditions decrease from VFR to MVFR or from MVFR to IFR. Area and route forecast channels shall be updated whenever material is updated.

a.Introduction. State the preparation time and the route and/or the area of coverage. The service area may be configured to meet the individual facility's needs; e.g., 50 NM radius, route oriented.

NOTE-
For the purpose of TIBS broadcasts, an area briefing may be a geographic location not defined by a nautical mile radius, for example, NORTHWEST NEBRASKA.

PHRASEOLOGY-
THIS RECORDING PREPARED AT (time) LOCAL or (time) ZULU. BRIEFING SUMMARY FOR:

A (number of miles) NAUTICAL MILE RADIUS OF (location),
or
(location not defined by nautical mile radius),
or
THE ROUTE FROM (location) TO (location).

b.Adverse Conditions. Include WST, WS, WA, CWA, AWW, UUA and any other available information that may adversely affect flight in the route/area.

PHRASEOLOGY-
WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR (adverse conditions) OVER (geographic area) (text).

c.VFR Not Recommended Statement. Include this recommendation when current or forecast conditions, surface or aloft, would make flight under visual flight rules doubtful.

PHRASEOLOGY-
V-F-R FLIGHT NOT RECOMMENDED (location) DUE TO (conditions).

d.Synopsis. A brief statement describing the type, location, and movement of weather systems and/or masses which might affect the route or the area. 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.

e. Current Conditions. Include current weather conditions over the route/area and PIREPs on conditions reported aloft.

NOTE-
When communicating weather information on the TIBS broadcast or telephone, specialists may announce cloud heights in either group form or in hundreds or thousands of feet, such as, seventeen thousand or one seven thousand.

f.Density Altitude. Include the statement "CHECK DENSITY ALTITUDE" as part of the surface weather broadcast for any weather reporting point with a field elevation of 2,000 feet MSL or above that reaches the criteria found in TBL 2-2-1.

g.En Route Forecast. Include forecast information from appropriate data; e.g., FA Synopsis, TAFs and weather advisories.

h.Winds Aloft. Include winds aloft as forecast for the route/area as interpolated from forecast data for the local and/or the adjacent reporting locations for levels through 12,000 feet. The broadcast should include the levels from 3,000 to 12,000 feet, but shall always include at least two forecast levels above the surface.

i.Request for PIREPs. When weather conditions within the area or along the route meet requirements for soliciting PIREPs (para 9-2-5), include a request in the recording.

PHRASEOLOGY-
PILOT WEATHER REPORTS ARE REQUESTED. CONTACT FLIGHT WATCH OR FLIGHT SERVICE, AS APPROPRIATE.

j.NOTAM information that affects the route/area may be included as part of the briefing, on a separate channel, or obtained by direct contact with a pilot weather briefer.

k.Military Training Activity. Include a statement in the closing announcement to contact a briefer for information on military training activity.

l.Closing Announcement. The closing announcement shall be appropriate for the facility equipment and the mode of operation; e.g., refer to the appropriate channel or briefer for NOTAM and military training activity information.

2-3-3. MONITORING

a.Manually prepared meteorological recordings shall be monitored immediately after recording and as necessary to insure accuracy of data. Non-meteorological recordings shall be monitored and checked for quality and accuracy immediately after recording and once each shift. After each recording, the TIBS shall be checked for availability by calling 1-800-WX-BRIEF or a locally designated phone number. Subsequent checks may be accomplished using local monitoring.

b.Automated TIBS products shall be monitored once each shift to ensure clarity and accuracy.