Narrative:

This is a chronic problem, not an isolated event. I frequently fly into and out of the chicago midway airport. The ATC staff there are very professional, and extremely courteous, even though they operate in a pressure cooler environment. Indeed, I've heard air crews be rude to them but never the reverse. There is an ATC technique at midway, however, which merits criticism. The ATIS broadcast is frequently very lengthy. Many times it contains superfluous information or information which might best be disseminated in a different format. Midway's information on this date took 2 min and 7 seconds for a full repeat. This is the longest I've timed, but it's common to have a 1 min 20 second broadcast. By contrast, high traffic airports like detroit, boston, las vegas, miami, etc, usually complete their ATIS broadcast in less than 40 seconds. This isn't because they talk faster, it's because they are concise, terse, and relevant. Midway will not only tell you that they have birds on and in the vicinity of the airport, they will add that there are also migratory birds on and in the vicinity of the airport. I fly a 122 passenger jet with one other pilot. Coming into a high density terminal area (you'd better get the ATIS before descending below 10,000') at speeds that can exceed 8 mi a minute. I don't have time for a 2 minute and 7 second ATIS, and should I miss a relevant part of it due to an interruption, I particularly don't have 4 minutes and 14 seconds to spend on warnings about different kinds of birds. Perhaps there should be a standard time limit set for ATIS broadcasts to keep abusers in line.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER PROTESTS LENGTHY ATIS AT MDW.

Narrative: THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM, NOT AN ISOLATED EVENT. I FREQUENTLY FLY INTO AND OUT OF THE CHICAGO MIDWAY ARPT. THE ATC STAFF THERE ARE VERY PROFESSIONAL, AND EXTREMELY COURTEOUS, EVEN THOUGH THEY OPERATE IN A PRESSURE COOLER ENVIRONMENT. INDEED, I'VE HEARD AIR CREWS BE RUDE TO THEM BUT NEVER THE REVERSE. THERE IS AN ATC TECHNIQUE AT MIDWAY, HOWEVER, WHICH MERITS CRITICISM. THE ATIS BROADCAST IS FREQUENTLY VERY LENGTHY. MANY TIMES IT CONTAINS SUPERFLUOUS INFO OR INFO WHICH MIGHT BEST BE DISSEMINATED IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT. MIDWAY'S INFO ON THIS DATE TOOK 2 MIN AND 7 SECONDS FOR A FULL REPEAT. THIS IS THE LONGEST I'VE TIMED, BUT IT'S COMMON TO HAVE A 1 MIN 20 SECOND BROADCAST. BY CONTRAST, HIGH TFC ARPTS LIKE DETROIT, BOSTON, LAS VEGAS, MIAMI, ETC, USUALLY COMPLETE THEIR ATIS BROADCAST IN LESS THAN 40 SECONDS. THIS ISN'T BECAUSE THEY TALK FASTER, IT'S BECAUSE THEY ARE CONCISE, TERSE, AND RELEVANT. MIDWAY WILL NOT ONLY TELL YOU THAT THEY HAVE BIRDS ON AND IN THE VICINITY OF THE ARPT, THEY WILL ADD THAT THERE ARE ALSO MIGRATORY BIRDS ON AND IN THE VICINITY OF THE ARPT. I FLY A 122 PAX JET WITH ONE OTHER PLT. COMING INTO A HIGH DENSITY TERMINAL AREA (YOU'D BETTER GET THE ATIS BEFORE DESCENDING BELOW 10,000') AT SPEEDS THAT CAN EXCEED 8 MI A MINUTE. I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR A 2 MINUTE AND 7 SECOND ATIS, AND SHOULD I MISS A RELEVANT PART OF IT DUE TO AN INTERRUPTION, I PARTICULARLY DON'T HAVE 4 MINUTES AND 14 SECONDS TO SPEND ON WARNINGS ABOUT DIFFERENT KINDS OF BIRDS. PERHAPS THERE SHOULD BE A STANDARD TIME LIMIT SET FOR ATIS BROADCASTS TO KEEP ABUSERS IN LINE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.