Narrative:

Ground control told us to listen to the new ATIS during our taxi for takeoff. We had the current ATIS prior to our pushback and taxi and indicated so on our initial contact. ATIS was 'published' after we started our taxi out. This is very common now at larger airports and I believe the practice is spreading and it is becoming accepted that pilots should listen to the ATIS during taxi. I was taught and still believe that the ATIS is to listen to prior to aircraft movement on departure and prior to entering the approach phase on arrival. (It is also common to have approach tell you to get a new ATIS while you are in the approach phase.) I feel this is an unsafe or at least unwise practice that should be stopped.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF ACR MLG ACFT QUESTIONS THE SAFETY OF ATC DIRECTING THE FLCS TO OBTAIN THE LATEST ATIS INFO DURING TAXI OR DURING APCH.

Narrative: GND CTL TOLD US TO LISTEN TO THE NEW ATIS DURING OUR TAXI FOR TKOF. WE HAD THE CURRENT ATIS PRIOR TO OUR PUSHBACK AND TAXI AND INDICATED SO ON OUR INITIAL CONTACT. ATIS WAS 'PUBLISHED' AFTER WE STARTED OUR TAXI OUT. THIS IS VERY COMMON NOW AT LARGER ARPTS AND I BELIEVE THE PRACTICE IS SPREADING AND IT IS BECOMING ACCEPTED THAT PLTS SHOULD LISTEN TO THE ATIS DURING TAXI. I WAS TAUGHT AND STILL BELIEVE THAT THE ATIS IS TO LISTEN TO PRIOR TO ACFT MOVEMENT ON DEP AND PRIOR TO ENTERING THE APCH PHASE ON ARR. (IT IS ALSO COMMON TO HAVE APCH TELL YOU TO GET A NEW ATIS WHILE YOU ARE IN THE APCH PHASE.) I FEEL THIS IS AN UNSAFE OR AT LEAST UNWISE PRACTICE THAT SHOULD BE STOPPED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.