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Controller claims that ASOS is inaccurate and does not provide sufficient WX information for the entire airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 322761 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199512 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dfw |
| State Reference | TX |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 4 controller radar : 14 |
| ASRS Report | 322761 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Navigational Facility |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| Navigational Aid | Unspecified |
Narrative:
Airport surface observation equipment (ASOS) was recently installed at dfw airport. This equipment is certified and used as the 'official WX' at dfw. The ASOS is lacking in many aspects. On friday, the ASOS was reporting 10 plus mi on visibility. Flight visibility was being reported by pilots as 5 mi and haze. The ASOS does not report haze. Today the ASOS was reporting M29 overcast when in reality it was 29 scattered. The WX was finally changed to reflect the true WX 29 scattered. The WX observer at the NWS stated that there was a band of clouds over the sensor. Dfw airport encompasses a large area of land. The runways are over 1 mi apart yet there is only 1 sensor for ASOS. The ATC's are not certified to take WX observations yet they are left to decide if the ASOS is reporting the ceilings correctly or not. In closing, the ASOS is lacking in many areas. It is not accurate and should not replace the NWS observations. Even though this equipment is not accurate, the FAA and NWS continue to install them nation-wide. Pilots complain about the reported WX all the time. Controllers are not WX observers, yet they are required to decide if the WX reported by ASOS is correct. This system needs to be looked at very closely to determine if it should continue to be installed at airports across the country.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CTLR CLAIMS THAT ASOS IS INACCURATE AND DOES NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT WX INFO FOR THE ENTIRE ARPT.
Narrative: ARPT SURFACE OBSERVATION EQUIP (ASOS) WAS RECENTLY INSTALLED AT DFW ARPT. THIS EQUIP IS CERTIFIED AND USED AS THE 'OFFICIAL WX' AT DFW. THE ASOS IS LACKING IN MANY ASPECTS. ON FRIDAY, THE ASOS WAS RPTING 10 PLUS MI ON VISIBILITY. FLT VISIBILITY WAS BEING RPTED BY PLTS AS 5 MI AND HAZE. THE ASOS DOES NOT RPT HAZE. TODAY THE ASOS WAS RPTING M29 OVCST WHEN IN REALITY IT WAS 29 SCATTERED. THE WX WAS FINALLY CHANGED TO REFLECT THE TRUE WX 29 SCATTERED. THE WX OBSERVER AT THE NWS STATED THAT THERE WAS A BAND OF CLOUDS OVER THE SENSOR. DFW ARPT ENCOMPASSES A LARGE AREA OF LAND. THE RWYS ARE OVER 1 MI APART YET THERE IS ONLY 1 SENSOR FOR ASOS. THE ATC'S ARE NOT CERTIFIED TO TAKE WX OBSERVATIONS YET THEY ARE LEFT TO DECIDE IF THE ASOS IS RPTING THE CEILINGS CORRECTLY OR NOT. IN CLOSING, THE ASOS IS LACKING IN MANY AREAS. IT IS NOT ACCURATE AND SHOULD NOT REPLACE THE NWS OBSERVATIONS. EVEN THOUGH THIS EQUIP IS NOT ACCURATE, THE FAA AND NWS CONTINUE TO INSTALL THEM NATION-WIDE. PLTS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE RPTED WX ALL THE TIME. CTLRS ARE NOT WX OBSERVERS, YET THEY ARE REQUIRED TO DECIDE IF THE WX RPTED BY ASOS IS CORRECT. THIS SYS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT VERY CLOSELY TO DETERMINE IF IT SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE INSTALLED AT ARPTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
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.