UPDATE: FAA Ending Universal Flight Watch Weather Frequency on 9/24
The FAA will discontinue the universal Flight Watch frequency 122.0 MHz for in-flight weather services on October 1. Weather services provided under the Flight Watch program Enroute Flight Advisory Service (EFAS) will continue to be provided via charted frequencies pilots use to obtain weather information, open and close flight plans, and for updates on notams and temporary flight restrictions.
The changes come as pilots transition "from traditional Flight Service assistance to more automated and web-based tools to obtain services. Through the use of updated technology Flight Service is taking the opportunity to eliminate redundancies and underutilized services," the FAA informed pilots in a message on its website.
Providing the weather services on local flight service frequencies will resolve issues of bleed-over and frequency congestion that have occurred on 122.0 MHz. Another advantage of the change will be the availability of the services on Flight Service frequencies monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as opposed to the limited monitoring of 122.0 MHz, said Rune Duke, AOPA director of government affairs for airspace and air traffic.
After October 1, the FAA will continue to monitor 122.0 MHz for several months to assist pilots in locating a local frequency.
