<< >> NASA ASRS Report 390746, January 1998

Tower controller concerned with ASOS WX equipment placement at south end of airport. Reporter cites as much as 50 degree wind difference from the mid-field sensor, and a 2 mi physical location difference. Controller believes users may be confused when accessing observation information and ASOS should be co-located with the mid-field equipment.

Attributes
ACN	390746
Time
Date	199801
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fai
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 10 controller radar : 2 flight time total : 90
ASRS Report	390746
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

ASOS installation: wind instrument installed at south end of airport in partially sheltered location. Differs by 50 degrees or more during northwest winds when compared to mid-field wind sensors. Additionally, this sensor is approximately 2 mi from the approach end of runway 19R/19L. I believe this instrument does not give a good representation of wind conditions. Tower and approach have direct reading instruments from the mid-field sensor, which I believe is the best location. Two issues arise here: first the WX service intends to decommission the mid- field sensor now that ASOS is on-line. Second, the official WX observation uses the ASOS instrument for the WX sequence presently, which is a source of confusion for many users.

Related reports:

• Enroute d-side controller witnessed loss of separation event...
• Controller claims that ASOS observation does not reflect the...
• Controller doesn't like the way the automated surface observ...
• Pilot enters downwind at jqf for a second time at the wrong ...
• Vny ground controller reports of an observation where an air...
• Prc tower controller reported of constant wind changes and t...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR CTLR CONCERNED WITH ASOS WX EQUIP PLACEMENT AT S END OF ARPT. RPTR CITES AS MUCH AS 50 DEG WIND DIFFERENCE FROM THE MID-FIELD SENSOR, AND A 2 MI PHYSICAL LOCATION DIFFERENCE. CTLR BELIEVES USERS MAY BE CONFUSED WHEN ACCESSING OBSERVATION INFO AND ASOS SHOULD BE CO-LOCATED WITH THE MID-FIELD EQUIP.

Narrative: ASOS INSTALLATION: WIND INST INSTALLED AT S END OF ARPT IN PARTIALLY SHELTERED LOCATION. DIFFERS BY 50 DEGS OR MORE DURING NW WINDS WHEN COMPARED TO MID-FIELD WIND SENSORS. ADDITIONALLY, THIS SENSOR IS APPROX 2 MI FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 19R/19L. I BELIEVE THIS INST DOES NOT GIVE A GOOD REPRESENTATION OF WIND CONDITIONS. TWR AND APCH HAVE DIRECT READING INSTS FROM THE MID-FIELD SENSOR, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE BEST LOCATION. TWO ISSUES ARISE HERE: FIRST THE WX SVC INTENDS TO DECOMMISSION THE MID- FIELD SENSOR NOW THAT ASOS IS ON-LINE. SECOND, THE OFFICIAL WX OBSERVATION USES THE ASOS INST FOR THE WX SEQUENCE PRESENTLY, WHICH IS A SOURCE OF CONFUSION FOR MANY USERS.

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.