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B777-200 captain reports that WX reporting for sya is inadequate for an emergency diversion airport in the north pacific.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 706309 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200608 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sya.airport |
| State Reference | AK |
| Altitude | msl single value : 36000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : mmex.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B777-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 4700 |
| ASRS Report | 706309 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA Flight Crew Human Performance Airport |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
Narrative:
The problem in brief is that sya is a vertical strategic airport -- especially in an emergency divert it is at the western end of the aleutian island chain. WX reporting from sya ceases late at night and on weekends whenever the observer goes off of duty. There is an AWOS operating and broadcasting current observations on VHF (great if you are within 200 miles) but current observations do not go into the NWS system and become available via ACARS. This is a real problem as conditions change rapidly at this field. The bottom line is sya becomes a crap shoot and is not a good alternative when it may be very much closer than other alternatives. Please investigate the possibility of getting the automatic WX information put on line when the human observer is off duty. Additionally; be advised that dd at times utilizes this airport when only the ft is available even in marginal WX -- this is totally unsatisfactory. We require actual WX observers to safely make use of this facility. Actual obs requires dd to make a phone call and manually input the data via ACARS to the requesting flight; this; too; is unsatisfactory.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B777-200 CAPT RPTS THAT WX RPTING FOR SYA IS INADEQUATE FOR AN EMER DIVERSION ARPT IN THE NORTH PACIFIC.
Narrative: THE PROB IN BRIEF IS THAT SYA IS A VERT STRATEGIC ARPT -- ESPECIALLY IN AN EMER DIVERT IT IS AT THE WESTERN END OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLAND CHAIN. WX REPORTING FROM SYA CEASES LATE AT NIGHT AND ON WEEKENDS WHENEVER THE OBSERVER GOES OFF OF DUTY. THERE IS AN AWOS OPERATING AND BROADCASTING CURRENT OBSERVATIONS ON VHF (GREAT IF YOU ARE WITHIN 200 MILES) BUT CURRENT OBSERVATIONS DO NOT GO INTO THE NWS SYSTEM AND BECOME AVAILABLE VIA ACARS. THIS IS A REAL PROB AS CONDITIONS CHANGE RAPIDLY AT THIS FIELD. THE BOTTOM LINE IS SYA BECOMES A CRAP SHOOT AND IS NOT A GOOD ALTERNATIVE WHEN IT MAY BE VERY MUCH CLOSER THAN OTHER ALTERNATIVES. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING THE AUTOMATIC WX INFO PUT ON LINE WHEN THE HUMAN OBSERVER IS OFF DUTY. ADDITIONALLY; BE ADVISED THAT DD AT TIMES UTILIZES THIS ARPT WHEN ONLY THE FT IS AVAILABLE EVEN IN MARGINAL WX -- THIS IS TOTALLY UNSATISFACTORY. WE REQUIRE ACTUAL WX OBSERVERS TO SAFELY MAKE USE OF THIS FACILITY. ACTUAL OBS REQUIRES DD TO MAKE A PHONE CALL AND MANUALLY INPUT THE DATA VIA ACARS TO THE REQUESTING FLT; THIS; TOO; IS UNSATISFACTORY.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.