Narrative:

We have been receiving bogus information from ASOS. At the time stated above, the ASOS was reporting clear (clear below 12000 ft). Working local control, I noticed aircraft on departure and arrival going into or coming out of a cloud layer. Upon asking an arrival, the pilot stated that he was in the clouds until 2000 ft AGL (3000 ft MSL), and yet the ASOS reported clear. The ASOS is a terrible piece of machinery forced down our throats by the NWS so they could cut costs by not doing their jobs. Something must be done to stop this and put the NWS back to work.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATCT LCL CTLR COMPLAINT ABOUT INACCURATE ASOS INFO. PIREPS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A 2000 FT CEILING WHILE THE ASOS WAS RPTING A CLR SKY CONDITION. RPTR CRITICAL OF NWS POLICY OF REPLACING QUALIFIED PERSONNEL WITH POOR MACHINERY.

Narrative: WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING BOGUS INFO FROM ASOS. AT THE TIME STATED ABOVE, THE ASOS WAS RPTING CLR (CLR BELOW 12000 FT). WORKING LCL CTL, I NOTICED ACFT ON DEP AND ARR GOING INTO OR COMING OUT OF A CLOUD LAYER. UPON ASKING AN ARR, THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS IN THE CLOUDS UNTIL 2000 FT AGL (3000 FT MSL), AND YET THE ASOS RPTED CLR. THE ASOS IS A TERRIBLE PIECE OF MACHINERY FORCED DOWN OUR THROATS BY THE NWS SO THEY COULD CUT COSTS BY NOT DOING THEIR JOBS. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO STOP THIS AND PUT THE NWS BACK TO WORK.

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.