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Pbi approach control must read posted WX to pilots being provided radar service to sua airport. AWOS WX can only be used when sua tower is closed.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 545736 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200204 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sua.airport |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl single value : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Experience | controller military : 4 controller radar : 23 controller supervisory : 8 controller time certified in position1 : 5 |
| ASRS Report | 545736 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA Weather Airport |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
Narrative:
Stuart airport has an AWOS. However, they have been directed by the NWS not to use it during hours their tower is open. This defeats the purpose of having automatic WX reporting and creates an additional workload for the radar controller feeding that airport. During times of busy traffic, ensuring the arrival aircraft is read the current WX becomes difficult. On apr/wed/02, I was working that position with 3 arrs for stuart, in addition to the palm beach departures and overflts. I was hard pressed to fit the WX in with the other xmissions required to keep aircraft moving. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated sua is a contract tower with mostly GA type aircraft and some part 135 operators. He said the airport has only a GPS instrument approach procedure. He believes sua has not been able to get an ATIS for the airport because of cost and not a high enough number of operations.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PBI APCH CTL MUST READ POSTED WX TO PLTS BEING PROVIDED RADAR SVC TO SUA ARPT. AWOS WX CAN ONLY BE USED WHEN SUA TWR IS CLOSED.
Narrative: STUART ARPT HAS AN AWOS. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE BEEN DIRECTED BY THE NWS NOT TO USE IT DURING HRS THEIR TWR IS OPEN. THIS DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF HAVING AUTOMATIC WX RPTING AND CREATES AN ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD FOR THE RADAR CTLR FEEDING THAT ARPT. DURING TIMES OF BUSY TFC, ENSURING THE ARR ACFT IS READ THE CURRENT WX BECOMES DIFFICULT. ON APR/WED/02, I WAS WORKING THAT POS WITH 3 ARRS FOR STUART, IN ADDITION TO THE PALM BEACH DEPS AND OVERFLTS. I WAS HARD PRESSED TO FIT THE WX IN WITH THE OTHER XMISSIONS REQUIRED TO KEEP ACFT MOVING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED SUA IS A CONTRACT TWR WITH MOSTLY GA TYPE ACFT AND SOME PART 135 OPERATORS. HE SAID THE ARPT HAS ONLY A GPS INST APCH PROC. HE BELIEVES SUA HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET AN ATIS FOR THE ARPT BECAUSE OF COST AND NOT A HIGH ENOUGH NUMBER OF OPS.
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.