Narrative:

Flight arrived in the boston area at approximately XA00. ATIS information was copied down by the first officer as we held over gardner, ma. We exited holding and landed boston at approximately XA35 and blocked into the gate at XA49. Departing as flight to cleveland we blocked out at XB25 and were airborne at XB40 (approximately). During this entire time period the ATIS was not changed even though boston was experiencing a major snow storm. From listening to the conversations on departure control, we learned that the approach light system for runway 4R was inoperative and that boston WX was now below landing minimums. Although we had takeoff minimums for runway 9, far requires us to have a takeoff alternate for departures when WX is below landing minimums. As pilots we need to be kept informed of conditions that affect our flight. Had we known about the approach lights being OTS we could have easily obtained a takeoff alternate -- since we didn't, we violated far. Controllers should be taught situational awareness. ATC was aware that the lights affected arrival traffic. If someone in the cabin attendant would have asked themselves 'what if one of my departures needs to do an air return?' it would have become immediately apparent that 'yes, this affects all traffic.' it seems to me that every day I either hear or read that ATC recognizes a need to get essential information to the pilots in an expeditious manner. I have yet to see it put into practice.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH LIGHT SYS WENT OTS WHILE AN ACR FLT WAS ON THE GND. ATIS WAS NOT UPDATED AND THE FLT TOOK OFF BELOW LNDG MINIMUMS WITHOUT A TKOF ALTERNATE BEING FILED IN THEIR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: FLT ARRIVED IN THE BOSTON AREA AT APPROX XA00. ATIS INFO WAS COPIED DOWN BY THE FO AS WE HELD OVER GARDNER, MA. WE EXITED HOLDING AND LANDED BOSTON AT APPROX XA35 AND BLOCKED INTO THE GATE AT XA49. DEPARTING AS FLT TO CLEVELAND WE BLOCKED OUT AT XB25 AND WERE AIRBORNE AT XB40 (APPROX). DURING THIS ENTIRE TIME PERIOD THE ATIS WAS NOT CHANGED EVEN THOUGH BOSTON WAS EXPERIENCING A MAJOR SNOW STORM. FROM LISTENING TO THE CONVERSATIONS ON DEP CTL, WE LEARNED THAT THE APCH LIGHT SYS FOR RWY 4R WAS INOP AND THAT BOSTON WX WAS NOW BELOW LNDG MINIMUMS. ALTHOUGH WE HAD TKOF MINIMUMS FOR RWY 9, FAR REQUIRES US TO HAVE A TKOF ALTERNATE FOR DEPS WHEN WX IS BELOW LNDG MINIMUMS. AS PLTS WE NEED TO BE KEPT INFORMED OF CONDITIONS THAT AFFECT OUR FLT. HAD WE KNOWN ABOUT THE APCH LIGHTS BEING OTS WE COULD HAVE EASILY OBTAINED A TKOF ALTERNATE -- SINCE WE DIDN'T, WE VIOLATED FAR. CTLRS SHOULD BE TAUGHT SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. ATC WAS AWARE THAT THE LIGHTS AFFECTED ARR TFC. IF SOMEONE IN THE CAB WOULD HAVE ASKED THEMSELVES 'WHAT IF ONE OF MY DEPS NEEDS TO DO AN AIR RETURN?' IT WOULD HAVE BECOME IMMEDIATELY APPARENT THAT 'YES, THIS AFFECTS ALL TFC.' IT SEEMS TO ME THAT EVERY DAY I EITHER HEAR OR READ THAT ATC RECOGNIZES A NEED TO GET ESSENTIAL INFO TO THE PLTS IN AN EXPEDITIOUS MANNER. I HAVE YET TO SEE IT PUT INTO PRACTICE.

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.