Narrative:

This event happened prior to and during an ILS approach to lck (rickenbacker) airport. Lck has an AWOS, no ATIS. The problem with an AWOS at this facility is that it is not possible to report thunderstorms or inoperative navaids, approach light components, closed txwys, etc. Knowing that prior to arriving in the airport area that thunderstorms are in the vicinity of the airport is a valuable aid to in-flight planning. Knowing if a runway is closed, a particular NAVAID is inoperative or a portion of the ILS lighting is inoperative -- would also determine a land-go around decision. If the AWOS was capable of giving airport data other than winds and WX, it would solve the problem of whether or not an approach could be continued.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC RPT OF ARPT INFO DEFICIENCY, NO ATIS BROADCAST REGARDING ANY NAVAID PROBS.

Narrative: THIS EVENT HAPPENED PRIOR TO AND DURING AN ILS APCH TO LCK (RICKENBACKER) ARPT. LCK HAS AN AWOS, NO ATIS. THE PROB WITH AN AWOS AT THIS FACILITY IS THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO RPT TSTMS OR INOP NAVAIDS, APCH LIGHT COMPONENTS, CLOSED TXWYS, ETC. KNOWING THAT PRIOR TO ARRIVING IN THE ARPT AREA THAT TSTMS ARE IN THE VICINITY OF THE ARPT IS A VALUABLE AID TO INFLT PLANNING. KNOWING IF A RWY IS CLOSED, A PARTICULAR NAVAID IS INOP OR A PORTION OF THE ILS LIGHTING IS INOP -- WOULD ALSO DETERMINE A LAND-GAR DECISION. IF THE AWOS WAS CAPABLE OF GIVING ARPT DATA OTHER THAN WINDS AND WX, IT WOULD SOLVE THE PROB OF WHETHER OR NOT AN APCH COULD BE CONTINUED.

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.