Narrative:

As pilots of 2 man aircraft, we are increasingly tasked with more and more duties in order to accomplish our job. One specific duty -- collecting ATIS data over the radio -- has been made much more difficult as of late. The new automated 'voice' is a step in the wrong direction. It is hard to understand in almost all cases. It blurs many words together, and often requires 2 or 3 attempts to decipher. Now, in phl, we had an ATIS that lasted 92 seconds! And yes, it required 2 attempts to decipher it all. 3 mins away from backing up my first officer, in a descent, is too long. Airliners have all pertinent NOTAMS, so why not have 2 ATIS frequencys? 1 for airlines and 1 for those without access to all the NOTAM information. An ATIS broadcast should last, at a maximum, 30 seconds. Luckily, no near miss or other event happened this day. Will we be as lucky tomorrow? Also, do we really need to change ATIS at the top of the hour if there are no changes? I spoke with the approach control person in phl, and he agreed that it was too long, and would refer my comment to his supervisor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B737 COMPLAINT REGARDING THE LENGTH AND CLARITY OF THE ATIS INFO BROADCAST. IT IS DISTRACTING FROM THEIR DUTIES SINCE MANY TIMES IT REQUIRES MORE THAN 1 LISTENING REVIEW TO DECIPHER THE MESSAGE.

Narrative: AS PLTS OF 2 MAN ACFT, WE ARE INCREASINGLY TASKED WITH MORE AND MORE DUTIES IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH OUR JOB. ONE SPECIFIC DUTY -- COLLECTING ATIS DATA OVER THE RADIO -- HAS BEEN MADE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT AS OF LATE. THE NEW AUTOMATED 'VOICE' IS A STEP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. IT IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND IN ALMOST ALL CASES. IT BLURS MANY WORDS TOGETHER, AND OFTEN REQUIRES 2 OR 3 ATTEMPTS TO DECIPHER. NOW, IN PHL, WE HAD AN ATIS THAT LASTED 92 SECONDS! AND YES, IT REQUIRED 2 ATTEMPTS TO DECIPHER IT ALL. 3 MINS AWAY FROM BACKING UP MY FO, IN A DSCNT, IS TOO LONG. AIRLINERS HAVE ALL PERTINENT NOTAMS, SO WHY NOT HAVE 2 ATIS FREQS? 1 FOR AIRLINES AND 1 FOR THOSE WITHOUT ACCESS TO ALL THE NOTAM INFO. AN ATIS BROADCAST SHOULD LAST, AT A MAX, 30 SECONDS. LUCKILY, NO NEAR MISS OR OTHER EVENT HAPPENED THIS DAY. WILL WE BE AS LUCKY TOMORROW? ALSO, DO WE REALLY NEED TO CHANGE ATIS AT THE TOP OF THE HR IF THERE ARE NO CHANGES? I SPOKE WITH THE APCH CTL PERSON IN PHL, AND HE AGREED THAT IT WAS TOO LONG, AND WOULD REFER MY COMMENT TO HIS SUPVR.

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.