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

2-3-1. GENERAL

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

1. TIBS must 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 (METAR).

(b) Terminal forecasts (TAF).

(c) Winds/temperatures aloft forecasts.

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

b. Each FSS sector/flight plan area must provide at least four route and/or area weather 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 must be route and/or area specific.

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

EXAMPLE-
11 Northeast Michigan
12 Southeast Michigan
13 Southwest Michigan
14 Northwest Michigan including the Upper Peninsula
19 Aviation Events

2-3-2. AREA/ROUTE BRIEFING PROCEDURES

Service is provided 24 hours a day, but may be reduced in accordance with paragraph 2-1-3. Recorded information must be updated as conditions change.

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; for example, 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. Weather Advisories. Include WST, WS, WA, CWA, AWW, urgent PIREP (UUA), and any other available meteorological 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 (VNR) 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, “seventeen­thousand” or “one­seven­thousand.”

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; for example, area forecast (FA) synopsis, terminal aerodrome forecast (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 must 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 (paragraph 9­2­5), include a request in the recording.

PHRASEOLOGY-
PILOT WEATHER REPORTS ARE REQUESTED. CONTACT FLIGHT WATCH or FLIGHT SERVICE, as appropriate.

j. Closing Announcement. The closing announcement must provide instructions for contacting a pilot briefer for NOTAMs, military training activity, or other information.

2-3-3. MONITORING

a. Manually prepared recordings must be monitored immediately after recording to insure accuracy of data and availability by calling 1−800−WX−BRIEF.

b. Automated TIBS products and non­meteorological recordings must be monitored once each shift to ensure clarity and accuracy.