Building a better preflight

Bouncing between weather tabs, running weight-and-balance calculations, checking personal minimums, and second-guessing whether everything had been done correctly was becoming a routine part of every flight.

His instructor encouraged him to develop a more consistent preflight process, but Velmurugan had already started thinking about a bigger question: Why were student pilots still jumping between weather, minimums, weight and balance, notams, and training resources spread across different platforms?

That frustration became the foundation for SkyBrief, the preflight planning and training application Velmurugan built, launched, and continues to run himself. It grew from a problem many student pilots face: Preparation on the ground consumes time, money, and attention, and much of that effort is spent simply finding and organizing information scattered across multiple sources.

Velmurugan completed a bachelor's degree in computer science and is now pursuing his certified flight instructor qualification, with a checkride scheduled for August. He is also preparing to begin a master's program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. His background gave him the skills to build SkyBrief himself.

As development continued, he realized the challenges he was solving likely extended beyond his own training. "If it's affecting me," he said, "it's probably affecting a bunch of other student pilots and general aviation pilots."

SkyBrief isn't intended to replace ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot applications, Velmurugan said. Instead, he sees it filling a different role before takeoff. "Those apps give you the information," he said. "Our app comes into play where we help you make that decision."

The app's weather briefing system uses publicly available FAA weather data but compares conditions against a pilot's own personal minimums rather than generic flight rules. Pilots can customize ceiling, visibility, and crosswind limits as they gain experience. SkyBrief then provides a go/no-go recommendation based on those self-imposed limits and explains exactly which conditions triggered the result.

For flight schools, the system can also apply school-established minimums, using whichever limits are more restrictive.

After feedback from an early user, Velmurugan decided SkyBrief needed to make the age of weather reports more obvious. "We didn't really clarify, 'Hey this weather was reported 40 minutes ago,’" he said. "And obviously 40 minutes is a long time for weather; it could have changed." SkyBrief now flags reports roughly 20 to 30 minutes old, prompting pilots to check for more recent information. With roughly 400 users, feedback continues to shape the app, from interface changes to tools tracking training costs and progress. 

SkyBrief has also expanded beyond its original weather-focused concept. The platform now includes about 1,500 study items covering sport pilot through airline transport pilot certificate, Airmen certification standards-aligned checkride preparation, mock written exams, quizzes on federal aviation regulations and airspace, aircraft systems, radio communication practice, and scenario-based learning.

A newer feature tracks a student's weak areas by automatically collecting missed questions from quizzes and study sessions into a dedicated review deck until the material is mastered. Other tools help students monitor training progress; certificate requirements; and upcoming document expirations such as medical certificates, flight reviews, and knowledge test eligibility windows.

The app contains a scholarship and aviation affordability hub highlighting dozens of flight training scholarships and airline cadet pathway programs. "When I was going through my training, I didn't even know that they offered scholarships for flight training," Velmurugan said. He hopes making those opportunities easier to find can help reduce one of aviation's biggest barriers to entry—money.

Velmurugan has remained intentionally cautious about artificial intelligence in safety-related decisions. While SkyBrief uses AI to provide plain-language briefings, its go/no-go recommendations are based on defined rules and data from aviation sources rather than relying on a language model to make the decision. "In aviation, speed isn't always the best," Velmurugan said. "It can compromise on safety." For him, the goal is to present the information more clearly, not make the decision for the pilot.

SkyBrief is offering a discount to AOPA members through a dedicated offer page.