• Why does WeatherTAP offer two Aviation Weather areas ?
  
• So why create an entirely new site for legal preflight briefings? Why not just certify the classic Aviation Weather page?
  
• What does QICP certified mean?
  
• Why did WeatherTAP remove most of its content ?
  
• Where are the radar/satellite/etc. products ?
  
• Do I have to be a pilot to use the new Aviation Weather site?
  
• Why do I have to confirm my name and aircraft ID every time?
  
• I find the QICP disclaimer offensive/insulting/confusing. Change it.
  
• I hate drop-downs! Do I have to use them?
  
• I liked the old, single page design. How can I get similar navigation with all links on a single page?
  
• I don't like the new site, can I go back to using the old one instead?
  
• Can I access Aviation Weather without going through the main WeatherTAP site?
  
• Can I access the old, non-certified Aviation Weather page?
  
• Can I file a flight plan through the Aviation Weather page?
• I hate the new design! / The new design is garbage! / You guys stink!

Why does WeatherTAP offer two Aviation Weather areas?

We offer two areas because different users have different needs and different preferences. Commercial air carriers operating under parts 121 or 135 are required to obtain preflight briefings from an FAA approved source. To meet the needs of these users, WeatherTAP sought FAA certification so that we could become an "approved" source. Unfortunately the requirements for certification were such that a completely new site had to be constructed. It was not practical to certify the entire WeatherTAP site nor was it possible to certify just the existing Aviation Weather section.

The new site contained virtually all of the same content as the old Aviation page. Since the same content was present, we initially elected to simply replace the old Aviation Weather page with the new site. A linkage was constructed between the two sites so that users could easily transition from the main WeatherTAP site directly into the new Aviation Weather site.

On March 5, 2007 the new QICP-certified site was introduced, replacing the old Aviation Weather page. We received both positive and negative feedback regarding the change. Although the QuickBrief feature almost exactly reproduced the behavior of the Aviation page, some users objected to the need to click-through an id confirmation dialog and a disclaimer notice. We listened to our users and reinstated the former page. In addition, we added the capability for the user to choose which Aviation weather source they wanted to be displayed when they clicked the "Aviation" heading in the WeatherTAP menu bar.

And that is why two Aviation Weather options are offered. Some users, who do not operate under 121 or 135 and prefer the integrated classic page, have that option. Those users who prefer the updated format, require 121/135 legal briefings, or simply want to have documentation of preflight briefings on record, may choose the new QICP-certified site. The choice is yours.

Even after providing a choice to users of reverting back to the old-style Aviation Weather, we were still receiving indications that some users were confused by the new addition. Some believed that content had been removed because they did not realize that the Aviation site was separate from the main WeatherTAP site. Since they did not see "Radar", "Satellite", etc. in the menu bar, they believed that a large amount of content had been removed. Of course this simply is not the case. To help clear up confusion among existing users, on March 10, 2007 the 'default' Aviation Weather source, that is the one you get if you have not explicitly selected a preference, was changed back to the classic Aviation Weather page.

 

So why create an entirely new site for legal preflight briefings? Why not just certify the classic Aviation Weather page?

We had to create an entirely new site in order to achieve FAA certification so that we could provide legal FAR part 121/135 briefings.

Many commercial aircraft operators use WeatherTAP as their source for Aviation Weather. These businesses operate under a set of FAA rules referred to as either Part 121 or Part 135 depending on the exact nature of the operations. The FAA requires these operators to obtain pre-flight weather information from an "approved" source. For several years the exact meaning of "approved" has been debated, however, the FAA clarified the meaning by issuing Advisory Circular AC 00-62. This AC clarified the meaning of "approved source" as it applied to sections 121 and 135. It also set forth standards by which a weather provider could meet and subsequently earn a status which would satisfy the "approved source" language of 121 and 135. Providers that demonstrated compliance with the standard could, after a six month operation trial, obtain Qualified Internet Communication Provider or QICP status.

To meet the rigid requirements of AC 00-62, it was necessary to design an all-new Aviation Weather section. Among other things, AC 00-62 mandated the use of SSL encryption technology as well as strict record-keeping requirements. Almost all of the capability (and then some) of the old Aviation Weather section was incorporated into the new design. Although the new site looks a bit different, all of the old products are still available from it.

 

What does QICP certified mean?

QICP or Qualified Internet Communication Provider is a designation given by the FAA to weather providers who have demonstrated by design and by trial that their communication infrastructure can meet the requirements of Advisory Circular AC 00-62. Providers with QICP status are considered "approved" sources of weather information for the purposes of satisfying federal aviation regulations that apply to commercial air carriers. QICP status does NOT certify the actual weather content in any way, only the security, reliability, and accessibility of the communications and network infrastructure.

 

Why did WeatherTAP remove most of its content? or

Where are all of the Radar/Satellite/Lightning/etc products ?

Absolutely no content has been removed from WeatherTAP. If you are asking the question you are probably inside the new Aviation Weather site rather than the main WeatherTAP site. All of the Radar/Satellite/Lightning/etc. products are still available, as always, on the main site. There is a button in the upper left hand corner that reads "Close session and return to main site". Simply click that button and you will be transferred back to the main site. If you are still confused, look at the address bar in your browser. If it reads aviation.weathertap.com, then you are in the Aviation site. If it reads www.weathertap.com, then you are in the main site.

 

Do I have to be a pilot to use the new Aviation Weather site?

No. The Aviation Weather page is open to any WeatherTAP user. Although the site asks for confirmation of aircraft ID, this information is used for documentation only and is not required. Pilots are STRONGLY encouraged to ensure that they enter an aircraft ID as it will serve as evidence of obtaining a legal weather briefing should any investigation be required by the FAA. Non-pilots may simply leave the field blank.

 

Why do I have to confirm my name and aircraft ID every time?

One requirement of the QICP standards is that all transactions be documented in the event of an investigation. It is vitally important that the pilot's name, and aircraft identification be recorded as evidence of having obtained a briefing. We are working on ways to reduce the number of click-throughs while still retaining certified status. The site is brand new and work is still ongoing.

 

I find the QICP disclaimer offensive/insulting/confusing. Change it.

Unfortunately it is not ours to change. The wording of the QICP disclaimer is verbatim from the FAA Advisory Circular 00-62 which sets forth the requirements for certification. The disclaimer originates from the FAA, not WeatherTAP. All QICP-certified providers are required to prominently display it.

 

I hate drop-downs! Do I have to use them?

No. The drop-downs are there to provide a quick means of accessing individual products, but there is no requirement to use them. All content on the Aviation Weather site can be accessed without ever selecting an item out of the drop down. This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of the Aviation Weather site (as well as the main WeatherTAP site). Each of the menu headings, such as "Plots", "Prog Charts", "Icing", etc. designate a major grouping of products. If you hover the mouse cursor over the heading, a drop-down menu will appear (for most headings). HOWEVER, if you simply click the heading then you will be taken to that grouping's home page. For example, if you click on the "Plots" heading (don't select anything from the drop-down, simply click the heading), then you will be taken to a page showing all of the available data plots. The same is true of all the other headings. This navigation system is clean, well-organized, and a breeze to use. The drop-down merely provide a shortcut way to get directly to the images without having to view their group's "home" page. They are entirely optional.

 

I liked the old, single page design. How can I get similar navigation with all links on a single page?

The QuickBrief feature allows navigation from a single page. Just click the QuickBrief heading and you will be presented with a page almost identical to the legacy Aviation Weather page.

 

I don't like the new site, can I go back to using the old one instead?

Yes! Since many users do not need legal briefings and prefer the less intrusive nature of the old Aviation page, we have added the ability for the user to choose which Aviation source they wish to use, either the new QICP site, or the old non-QICP page.

When you click on the 'Aviation' heading in the main WeatherTAP site, you will be taken to your default Aviation area. Initially this is set to the classic, non-certified Aviation page. Once there you should see a line of text immediately below the "Non-certified Aviation Weather" title. If the non-certified page is the default then the text will read "This page is configured as your default Aviation page". Immediately following the text there will be a "Change" option. Simply click the "change" link and you will be taken to a settings page where you can choose which Aviation weather area you wish to use. The new Aviation Weather site also contains a similar option.

Note that each page contains a link to the other. You can use the link to visit the opposite page without necessarily changing your default. Also note that you may change your default Aviation weather source to either of the two options at any time.

UPDATE: On March 10th, 2007 the standard default was changed from the new QICP site to the classic Aviation page if the user does not explicitly set a preference.

 

Can I access Aviation Weather site without going through the main WeatherTAP site?

Yes. You can access the Aviation Weather site directly via this URL: https://aviation.weathertap.com . Note that if you visit the site directly there will be no option to allow you to jump back into the main WeatherTAP site. When you logout you'll simply be sent back to the login page.

 

Can I access the old, non-certified Aviation Weather page?

Yes. See the "I don't like the new site, can I go back to using the old one instead?" question above.

 

Can I file a flight plan through the Aviation Weather page?

Yes, you can submit a flight plan on both the unofficial and official Aviation pages.

 

I hate the new design! / The new design is garbage! / You guys stink!

Any time we make even trivial changes in page design we are inundated with comments. Many are positive and many are like the ones stated above. One of our challenges is to distinguish knee-jerk comments made simply because something has changed from the comments that point out legitimate flaws or inconveniences in a new design. As much as we'd like to think that we always get it right the first time, the reality is that we sometimes miss the mark and must tweak the design. That does not make our designers stupid or incompetent, it simply makes them human.

Since we realize that we aren't infallible, we place a great deal of importance on what our users have to say. If you have a constructive comment (positive or negative) concerning some aspect of the design, we want to hear it. Comments such as the ones above are useless as they do not communicate anything beyond the unhappy state of the sender. Although we may be sorry that you are unhappy, there is little we can do to remedy the situation because we have not been provided with adequate information to even understand what the problem is. It is far more helpful to our development staff and designers if you provide enough information to characterize the problem and enough detail for us to thoroughly understand it. Courtesy is of course always appreciated as well.

Most of the new annoyances (id confirmation, disclaimer, etc.) of the new design are present because they are required for certification. The drop-down menus are new but if you don't wish to use them you can use the QuickBrief option instead. It provides a menu virtually identical to the old Aviation page. If you STILL don't wish to use the new Aviation weather area, and you don't need 121/135 legal briefings, then you can always choose to revert back to the old page. We have provided many options so that users can choose what works best for them.