Despite two pre-flight duats briefings; C172 pilot only learns of active aerobatic area near his des...

Narrative:

En-route 3500 ft MSL. Approaching vsf saw 2 maneuvering aircraft several miles ahead. One was approximately 3500 ft MSL and the other much higher. As I approached they descended below 3500 ft. I communicated with vsf unicom and was informed that the aerobatic box east of airport was hot. By this time my location was east of airport and I noted no aircraft in the vicinity so proceeded on course to cnh feeling that was quickest way to get clear of the aerobatic box. Because of the vigilance of all involved there was never any danger of conflict. I estimated that my aircraft came no closer than about 2 miles to the 2 aircraft I saw. However the aerobatic planes were inconvenienced and I was embarrassed by my lack of foreknowledge despite pre-flight preparations. I phoned flight service from cnh and they located a NOTAM in the system for this activity. I had obtained 2 duats briefings; one the evening before the flight and the other the morning of the flight. There was no NOTAM in either briefing about the activity at vsf. I checked for NOTAMS on duats after the flight and there was still no NOTAM. I spoke with another pilot who had also unknowingly flown over vsf at about the same time; so the problem was not unique to me. The cause of this problem is that the briefing I obtained did not include all information relevant to the flight. It contained NOTAMS for plattsburgh; ny; berlin; nh and other locations nowhere near my route of flight. The fdc NOTAMS are nothing but burdensome and that is where I found the only tfr in the briefing -- at gore mountain in north creek; ny; also totally irrelevant to my route of flight. Generally; the only time I talk with a briefer is when I don't have internet access or I am confused about something in a duats briefing. I understand that the NOTAM system is being improved and will be geographically sensitive to the briefing request. I look forward to the implementation of these improvements.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DESPITE TWO PRE-FLT DUATS BRIEFINGS; C172 PLT ONLY LEARNS OF ACTIVE AEROBATIC AREA NEAR HIS DEST UPON ENCOUNTERING ACFT UTILIZING THE AREA.

Narrative: EN-ROUTE 3500 FT MSL. APCHING VSF SAW 2 MANEUVERING ACFT SEVERAL MILES AHEAD. ONE WAS APPROX 3500 FT MSL AND THE OTHER MUCH HIGHER. AS I APCHED THEY DSNDED BELOW 3500 FT. I COMMUNICATED WITH VSF UNICOM AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE AEROBATIC BOX E OF ARPT WAS HOT. BY THIS TIME MY LOCATION WAS E OF ARPT AND I NOTED NO ACFT IN THE VICINITY SO PROCEEDED ON COURSE TO CNH FEELING THAT WAS QUICKEST WAY TO GET CLEAR OF THE AEROBATIC BOX. BECAUSE OF THE VIGILANCE OF ALL INVOLVED THERE WAS NEVER ANY DANGER OF CONFLICT. I ESTIMATED THAT MY ACFT CAME NO CLOSER THAN ABOUT 2 MILES TO THE 2 ACFT I SAW. HOWEVER THE AEROBATIC PLANES WERE INCONVENIENCED AND I WAS EMBARRASSED BY MY LACK OF FOREKNOWLEDGE DESPITE PRE-FLT PREPARATIONS. I PHONED FLT SERVICE FROM CNH AND THEY LOCATED A NOTAM IN THE SYSTEM FOR THIS ACTIVITY. I HAD OBTAINED 2 DUATS BRIEFINGS; ONE THE EVENING BEFORE THE FLT AND THE OTHER THE MORNING OF THE FLT. THERE WAS NO NOTAM IN EITHER BRIEFING ABOUT THE ACTIVITY AT VSF. I CHECKED FOR NOTAMS ON DUATS AFTER THE FLT AND THERE WAS STILL NO NOTAM. I SPOKE WITH ANOTHER PLT WHO HAD ALSO UNKNOWINGLY FLOWN OVER VSF AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME; SO THE PROBLEM WAS NOT UNIQUE TO ME. THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM IS THAT THE BRIEFING I OBTAINED DID NOT INCLUDE ALL INFORMATION RELEVANT TO THE FLT. IT CONTAINED NOTAMS FOR PLATTSBURGH; NY; BERLIN; NH AND OTHER LOCATIONS NOWHERE NEAR MY RTE OF FLT. THE FDC NOTAMS ARE NOTHING BUT BURDENSOME AND THAT IS WHERE I FOUND THE ONLY TFR IN THE BRIEFING -- AT GORE MOUNTAIN IN NORTH CREEK; NY; ALSO TOTALLY IRRELEVANT TO MY RTE OF FLT. GENERALLY; THE ONLY TIME I TALK WITH A BRIEFER IS WHEN I DON'T HAVE INTERNET ACCESS OR I AM CONFUSED ABOUT SOMETHING IN A DUATS BRIEFING. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE NOTAM SYSTEM IS BEING IMPROVED AND WILL BE GEOGRAPHICALLY SENSITIVE TO THE BRIEFING REQUEST. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Attributes
ACN	794401
Time
Date	200807
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vsf.airport
State Reference	VT
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 27 flight time total : 512 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	794401
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	FAA

Despite two pre-flight duats briefings; C172 pilot only learns of active aerobatic area near his destination upon encountering aircraft utilizing the area.