HeliBrief®

Aimed at satisfying offshore and emergency helicopter operations, HeliBrief® offers a wide range of meteorological information intended to provide a total pre-flight weather briefing service. 

HeliBrief® is provided on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to facilitate operational safety and is specially tailored for rotary aircraft. 

The service has been designed and maintained in consultation with users and the CAA to provide compliant, reliable, up to date and relevant information in support of helicopter operations 24/7, 365 days a year. The service has also been designed to be used on desktop/laptop PCs, as well as mobile & tablet devices, thereby offering flexible viewing options. 

Separate versions of HeliBrief existing for the following sectors: 

• Offshore helicopter operators 

• UK Search & Rescue (SAR) operations 

• UK police air service operations 

• UK Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) operators 

Features of HeliBrief

Features of HeliBrief vary between versions, but broadly comprise the following: 

• User customised ‘home page’ 

• Print pack feature 

• Weather on interactive map, including: 

  • Cloud 

  • Visibility 

  • Lightning & Triggered Lightning 

  • Wind 

  • Precipitation 

  • Ground conditions 

  • Sea conditions 

• Charts, including 

  • Wind and temperature tables 

  • Liquid water content tables 

  • Regional pressure settings 

  • Surface pressure 

  • F215 low level significant weather 

  • F214 spot winds 

  • British Isles analysis chart 

• Reports, including 

  • London CTA Helicopter Forecast 

  • TAFs, METARs and Aerodrome Warnings 

  • SIGMETs 

  • Regional pressure settings 

  • Volcanic ash advisories