A controller reports that mci's terminal doppler WX radar (tdwr) is unreliable and has allegedly fai...

Attributes
ACN	340240
Time
Date	199606
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mci
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	340240
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Terminal doppler WX radar (tdwr) is constantly not working. It often fails when there is WX in the area or when the wind is blowing. In the past 41 days tdwr has failed 60 times. Currently tdwr has been down for 6 days and we are experiencing thunderstorms. This creates an unsafe condition because there is no means to issue windshear or gust fronts or microbursts to pilots. A 'high ranking' airways facilities person has been quoted as saying 'mci's tdwr is the worst system in the nation.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CTLR RPTS THAT MCI'S TERMINAL DOPPLER WX RADAR (TDWR) IS UNRELIABLE AND HAS ALLEGEDLY FAILED 60 TIMES IN 41 DAYS. LOSS OF THIS EQUIP LEAVES PLTS WITHOUT A SOURCE FOR WINDSHEAR, GUST FRONTS, OR MICROBURSTS.

Narrative: TERMINAL DOPPLER WX RADAR (TDWR) IS CONSTANTLY NOT WORKING. IT OFTEN FAILS WHEN THERE IS WX IN THE AREA OR WHEN THE WIND IS BLOWING. IN THE PAST 41 DAYS TDWR HAS FAILED 60 TIMES. CURRENTLY TDWR HAS BEEN DOWN FOR 6 DAYS AND WE ARE EXPERIENCING TSTMS. THIS CREATES AN UNSAFE CONDITION BECAUSE THERE IS NO MEANS TO ISSUE WINDSHEAR OR GUST FRONTS OR MICROBURSTS TO PLTS. A 'HIGH RANKING' AIRWAYS FACILITIES PERSON HAS BEEN QUOTED AS SAYING 'MCI'S TDWR IS THE WORST SYS IN THE NATION.'

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.

A controller reports that mci's terminal doppler WX radar (tdwr) is unreliable and has allegedly failed 60 times in 41 days. Loss of this equipment leaves pilots without a source for windshear, gust fronts, or microbursts.